Israel shoot 3 Palestinians at checkpoint in East Jerusalem

Israeli occupation forces this morning shot three Palestinian men near Al-Zaeem checkpoint, which separates an illegal Jewish-only settlement in the occupied West Bank from a neighbourhood that lies in occupied East Jerusalem.

Local witnesses reported that the Israeli forces fired at the men, alleging that the Palestinians had initiated gunfire towards the soldiers, reported Wafa news agency,

According to Israeli police, one soldier was killed and eight others were injured in the exchange of fire at the checkpoint. As a result, Al-Zaeem checkpoint was closed, leading to disruptions in traffic on routes heading to the southern West Bank, as well as towns and villages in south and east Jerusalem.

Moreover, the Israeli military closed the Container military checkpoint east of Abu Dis for both pedestrians and vehicles and set up flying checkpoints in Silwan, Ras Al-Amud, Al-Tur, Al-Issawiya and Shuafat.

The shootings come a week after an Israeli officer fatally shot an injured 14-year-old Palestinian boy, identified as Wadee Olayyan, at point-blank range at the entrance to Al-Izariyyeh in eastern occupied Jerusalem.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip on 7 October.

More than 400 Palestinians have since been killed and almost 4,400 others injured by Israeli forces in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

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