1 Palestinian killed, 10 injured in confrontations with Israeli forces in West Bank

A Palestinian man was killed and 10 others were injured in confrontations with Israeli forces on Thursday in several cities in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The Ministry identified the deceased as Mahmoud Fayez Abu Ayhour, 27, who was shot dead by Israeli forces in the town of Halhul.

In a statement, the Palestinian Red Crescent said its crews dealt with seven injuries, one of them serious, including Abu Ayhour, during confrontations with the Israeli army in the town of Halhul, Hebron.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army used live and rubber bullets, gas bombs and sound bombs to disperse Palestinians during confrontations in the centre of Halhul, according to eyewitnesses.

The witnesses said the Israeli forces raided the centre of the town and closed a money exchange office, triggering violent confrontations.

In the northern West Bank, the official Palestinian news agency, WAFA, said that three Palestinians were injured in the city of Jenin during confrontations with Israeli forces escorted by a bulldozer.

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The agency reported that heavily-armed soldiers opened fire at local youths, wounding one in the leg.

Also, in the northern West Bank, WAFA reported that a young man was shot and wounded when Israeli forces stormed the Nablus’ Al-Makhfieh neighbourhood.

The Israeli army also demolished a building consisting of four apartments, north-west of Bethlehem.

Walid Zarina, the owner of the demolished building, told Anadolu Agency that, early Thursday morning, Israeli forces with bulldozers stormed the Bir Ouna neighbourhood and demolished his building under the pretext that it was built without a permit.

Israeli forces cite lack of construction permits while demolishing Palestinian homes, especially in Area C in the occupied West Bank, which constitutes around 60 per cent of its space.

Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was divided into three portions – Area A, B, and C.

Area C is under Israel’s administrative and security control until a final status agreement is reached with Palestinians.