Israel: Palestinian shot at by Israeli forces during protest in West Bank dies

A Palestinian man was reportedly killed by Israeli forces during a clash with Palestinian demonstrators in West Bank's Beita on Friday. According to a statement by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Mohammed Khbeisa, 28, was killed by Israeli troops during confrontations in Beita, West Bank. 

Palestinians have been engaging in weekly protests in Beita in northern West Bank against the development of an Israeli settlement outpost. News agency AP reported that Khbeisa was shot in the head and died shortly after being moved to a hospital in the adjacent city of Nablus. 

News agency ANI quoted eyewitnesses as saying that hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators marched through the village in protest against the Israeli settlement construction and land expropriation.

Palestinian protestors pelt stones at Israeli troops

Eyewitnesses also said that demonstrators set fire to tyres, waved Palestinian flags, recited anti-Israel slogans, and pelted stones at Israeli soldiers who were deployed near the village. In retaliation, the Israeli troops fired tear gas canisters and rubber-coated metal bullets.    

A press release from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society stated that hundreds of civilians were hurt by rubber bullets, while some suffocated after inhaling tear gas, with the majority of them receiving field treatment from doctors. News agency AP reported that rubber-coated metal bullets injured nearly eight more demonstrators. Additionally, Palestinian medics reported that numerous people were hurt in confrontations between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli forces in the West Bank towns of Qalqilya and Hebron. 

Conflicts have erupted in the area for the last four months, after the creation of an Israeli settlement on property owned by the community's people. While the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Khbeisa's criticised the incident, the Israeli military was yet to respond. Locals in the area claim that the unlawful Eviatar outpost's development threatens their land for farming.  

Earlier confrontations

Previously, on September 17, many Palestinians were injured during confrontations with Israeli forces while protesting against an Israeli settlement in the West Bank area. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society stated at least 217 protestors were hurt in the confrontation, with 35 of them being hit with rubber-coated metal bullets.  

(Image: AP/ Representative)