Israeli forces kill two Palestinian youths in the West Bank

Israeli soldiers killed two Palestinian teenagers on Tuesday in separate incidents at two points in the West Bank, a territory occupied by Israel, sources on both sides reported.

A Palestinian teenager was killed in an army operation in the Balata refugee camp, near Nablus, in the northern West Bank.

Nader Haitham Rayan, 16, died after being shot in the head, chest and hand, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

A spokesman for the Israeli border guard confirmed the death of a Palestinian “terrorist”. “A terrorist shot our soldiers who responded and killed him,” the spokesman said.

The exchange of fire occurred as Israeli forces withdrew from Balata camp, after arresting a “Palestinian wanted for terrorist activities”, according to these Israeli sources.

“When [Israeli forces] were about to leave the camp, a motorcycle arrived with a terrorist who fired in their direction. Israeli forces fired back and killed him,” the spokesman said.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, three other Palestinians were injured and hospitalized, one of them in serious condition.

A second Palestinian died in the Qalandia refugee camp near Ramallah, according to the Palestinian ministry and the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Alaa Shaham, in his 20s, was fatally shot in the head and six other young men were shot and wounded, according to the Palestinian ministry.

- “Reduce tensions” -

The spokesman for the Israeli border guard said that violence broke out during an operation to make arrests in the Qalandia refugee camp.

When Israeli forces arrested “two people involved in terrorist activities... riots broke out in the Qalandia refugee camp,” he said in a statement.

“Hundreds of rioters threw heavy objects from the roofs of the houses, endangering Israeli forces, who responded by dispersing demonstrations and firing,” the spokesman added.

The violence coincides with a tour of Israel and the West Bank of Hady Amr, the head of the US State Department for Israeli and Palestinian affairs.

It aims to “reduce tensions” and “implement specific economic measures” to “improve” the living conditions of Palestinians, according to the US embassy.

In the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 by Israel, clashes with the Israeli army are frequent and often occur during demonstrations against Israeli colonization or in operations to arrest Israeli forces in Palestinian localities.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, so far this year 20 Palestinians have died in the occupied West Bank by Israeli forces.

In the West Bank, where 2.8 million Palestinians live, 475,000 Israeli settlers also reside in settlements considered illegal by the international community.

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