Israeli tear gas kills Palestinian woman in West Bank

A Palestinian woman died on Monday evening after Israeli occupation forces fired tear gas at Palestinian protesters in the Aida refugee camp northwest of the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

A medical source at the Beit Jala Government Hospital said that Nuha Qatamesh, aged 44, died after inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli forces inside the Aida camp.

Palestine News Network reports that Qatamesh, who was already suffering from various health problems, fell unconscious at the scene of the incident after a tear gas canister landed near her open window. She was then rushed to the hospital, where only minutes after her arrival she was pronounced dead.

The Israeli occupation authorities denied that her death was caused by the tear gas; but Palestinian medical sources insisted that Qatamesh’s death was triggered by the tear gas.

During the clashes, Israeli occupation forces also reportedly sprayed wastewater on Palestinian homes in the refugee camp.

In January, an 85-year-old Palestinian man died while he was inside his house after breathing tear gas fired by Israeli occupation forces near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus.