Israeli forces kill Palestinian teen in West Bank — ministry

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories — Israeli forces killed a Palestinian teenager during an overnight raid in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry and official media said on Thursday.

The shooting occurred in the city of Qalqilya in the northern West Bank where the army confirmed it had conducted "counterterrorism activity".

"The occupation forces had stormed the Naqar neighbourhood in the west of Qalqilya, which led to clashes," the Palestinian official Wafa news agency reported.

"The occupation forces fired live and rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas at residents and their homes."

The Palestinian health ministry identified the dead teenager as Fares Abu Samrah, 14, and said he died of bullet wounds to the head.

The army said the incident was under review.

"During counterterrorism activity in the city of Qalqilya, a violent riot was instigated during which rioters hurled rocks and molotov cocktails at the forces," the army said.

The Israeli forces "responded by firing shots into the air and with riot dispersal means. Hits were identified," it added.

Wednesday, a Palestinian was killed in the main northern West Bank city of Nablus during what the army also described as “counterterrorism activity”.

On Tuesday, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants in an exchange of fire in Nablus.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the June War of 1967.

Since early last year, the territory has seen a string of attacks by Palestinians on Israeli targets, as well as violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities.

So far this year, violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has killed at least 203 Palestinians, 27 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources on both sides.

They include, on the Palestinian side, combatants as well as civilians and, on the Israeli side, three members of the Arab minority.

Excluding Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem, the West Bank is home to nearly three million Palestinians, as well as around 490,000 Israelis who live in settlements considered illegal under international law.