Palestinian teenager killed by Israeli troops

Three members of Israel's security forces wounded in other clashes north of Hebron

Mohammed Fouad Atta Al Bayyed, 17, was killed in Umm Safa village. Photo: Wafa

A Palestinian teenager was killed during clashes with Israeli troops on Friday, officials said.

The Israeli army said the teenager was shot during clashes with border police in Umm Safa village, near Ramallah.

Three Israelis were wounded in other clashes north of Hebron, Israeli officials said.

Israeli police said that “masked suspects threw stones and rocks endangering the lives of troops” during the Umm Safa incident. It confirmed that a person had been shot but gave no further details.

Palestinian health officials identified the victim as 17-year-old Mohammed Fouad Atta Al Bayed. They said he was shot in the head.

Protests, which often escalate into clashes with Israeli forces, are held in Umm Safa every week against Israeli settlements. The village has also been a target of attacks by Jewish settlers in recent weeks.

Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli forces had fired live ammunition, tear gas and stun grenades during confrontations with local residents.

The Ministry of Health confirmed at least one other person was shot in the chest.

Earlier in the day, Palestinians and Israelis clashed in the village of Beit Umar, north of Hebron in the southern West Bank.

The army said three members of the Israeli security forces were lightly wounded, including an officer who was struck by shrapnel in an explosion.

It said that soldiers opened fire in response to stone throwing and use of explosives, hitting one person who had allegedly thrown a bomb. There was no immediate comment from Palestinian officials.

Violence in the West Bank has worsened over the past 15 months with stepped-up Israeli raids, Palestinian street attacks and assaults by Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages.

More than 150 Palestinians have been killed since the start of 2023 in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to The Associated Press.

Right-wing ministers of Israel's government have also contributed to heightened tension, calling for the rapid expansion of settlements in the West Bank.

Last month, the government introduced new legislation to accelerate Israeli settlement construction.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also visited Al Aqsa compound in East Jerusalem earlier this year, angering both Palestinians and Jordan, which oversees the city's holy sites.