Israeli forces fatally shoot Palestinian man, injure 3 others in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian man and injured three others near two military checkpoints in the central part of the West Bank, amid a sharp escalation of violence following the regime’s far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich’s call this week to take over most of the occupied territory.

The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the victim as Ahmed Shehadeh, 57, saying he was killed on Friday evening by “occupation bullets” near the al-Murabba’a checkpoint south of Nablus.

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA cited Amid Ahmed, director of the Red Crescent’s Emergency and Ambulance Center in Nablus, as saying that Israeli soldiers prevented his crew from reaching the site of the shooting.

The Israeli military alleged in a statement that Shehadeh had “hurled a suspicious object” at soldiers operating near the checkpoint, after which they opened fire on him and killed him instantly.

Meanwhile, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said three people were assaulted and injured by Israeli forces at the military checkpoint of Deir Sharaf, west of Nablus.

UN: Assaults on Palestinians by Israeli forces, settlers up by 39% in West Bank

This comes as the United Nations raised concerns on Friday regarding the escalating violence and demolitions occurring in the occupied West Bank, highlighting a significant rise in Palestinian casualties caused by Israeli forces and settlers.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, referencing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stated during a news conference on Friday that “since January, more than 2,780 Palestinians have been injured by Israeli forces, or settlers.”

“That’s a 39% increase compared to last year. This includes nearly 500 people injured by Israeli settlers. That’s a twofold rise over the same timeframe,” he said.

Palestinians slam Israel finance minister’s plan for West Bank annexation

The occupied West Bank witnesses a new wave of escalation as Israeli Finance Minister presented a map illustrating what he described as the “remaining parts” of the territory.

Dujarric noted that “as of Monday, OCHA has also documented the demolition of more than 1,150 structures across the West Bank this year for lacking Israeli-issued building permits,” characterizing the papers as “nearly unattainable for any Palestinian to secure.”

“That’s a 44% increase compared to the same period,” he added.

Dujarric said, “The ongoing offensive in Gaza City has further intensified today, increasing the damage to civilians and facilities on which they depend to survive.”

“Earlier today, Israeli forces attacked a high-rise building that they say was used to execute attacks against them. Initial information collected by OCHA indicates that tents sheltering displaced people were damaged nearby. We’re also concerned by the announcement that more high-rise buildings will be attacked soon,” he added.

Over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers since October 2023, after the Zionist regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds.

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