Israelis kill two young Palestinians in occupied West Bank

On the third day of protests which erupted following the death of a Palestinian prisoner in Israeli custody, Israel’s occupation forces shot and killed two young Palestinians. Three others were injured in the incident at the Innab checkpoint to the east of Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank.

Amer Nassar, aged 17, was shot at midnight on Wednesday and rushed to Thabet Hospital in the city but was declared dead on arrival, said local activist Ahmed al-Betawi. His friend Naji al-Bolbeesi, 18 was found bleeding in the same area at dawn on Thursday; he had been shot in the chest and died later of his injuries.

According to Mr Al-Betawi, the Israeli occupation forces prevented Palestinian paramedics from taking Nassar to hospital. The youth was left bleeding for a long time.

Fadi Abu-Assal, 18, was shot in the hand during the incident and another two unidentified men were shot but sustained light injuries. All three were rushed to hospital for treatment, where they are said to be in a stable condition.

The Israelis confirm that they used live ammunition to shoot at the Palestinian protesters “after they threw firebombs” towards the troops. Al-Betawi denies this version of events. He confirmed that the youths only threw stones at the soldiers who were inside a fortified guard-post at the time.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Minister of Prisoners and Former Prisoners in the West Bank, Isa Qaraqe, said that the autopsy on Maysara Abu-Hamdiyya, the man whose death sparked off the protests, shows that his cancer had spread to all parts of his body, “even his bones”. The autopsy results appeared to confirm that the cancer had been present for “several years” but had not been treated properly.