Israeli military forces have shot and killed a young Palestinian man in the southern part of the West Bank as tensions continue in the occupied territories following US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital and relocation of the US embassy to the occupied city.
The Israeli military, in a statement released on Monday, alleged that the attacker was "neutralized" near the Gush Etzion junction south of the city of Bethlehem, located about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) south of Jerusalem al-Quds.
The statement asserted that three Israeli soldiers were injured in the purported assault. One of the soldiers sustained moderate injuries, while the other two were slightly hurt.
The Israeli military added that the Palestinian man rammed his vehicle into soldiers as the latter were carrying out engineering work along a road. An Israeli soldier, on patrol, then fired shots at the alleged assailant.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) confirmed that Israeli forces had shot and killed Ramzi Abu Yabes, a resident from the Dheisheh refugee camp, while he was on his way to the southern West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron) for work.
Palestinian media activist Mohammed Awad told Palestine’s official news agency WAFA that Abu Yabes, who was the head of the nursing department in a hospital, had been surprised by a group of Israeli soldiers and members of the so-called Israeli Civil Administration.
He then lost control of his vehicle and Israeli soldiers immediately fired indiscriminate shots at him, causing his death.
There are reports that the Israeli military forces have seized the body of the young Palestinian man from an ambulance, and took it away on board a military vehicle.
On December 21 last year, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution that calls on the US to withdraw its controversial policy shift.
Despite the vote, the United States went ahead with the embassy transfer on May 14, triggering demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco and other Muslim countries.
Israel’s crackdown in Gaza left over 60 protesters dead in the impoverished coastal enclave on that day alone.
Angered by Trump’s move, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas boycotted his administration, saying Washington is no longer qualified to serve as the sole mediator in the decades-long conflict with Israel, and that an international mechanism should be devised to replace the US in the so-called peace process.