Israeli troops kill Palestinian in West Bank raid:army

Hebron (Palestine): Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian man as he tried to evade arrest during a roundup in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military said.

The Palestinian health ministry identified the dead man as Mohammed Saraheen, 30, and Palestinian security officials said Israeli troops shot him during a raid on his home in the village of Beit Ula, near Hebron yesterday.

“During an arrest operation in Beit Ula, security forces apprehended one suspect while another attempted to flee the building,” an army spokeswoman told AFP.

“During the pursuit a force opened fire, resulting in the suspect’s death.”

She could not immediately say who the suspects were or why they were wanted.

Violence since October has killed 224 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, one Eritrean and a Sudanese.

Israeli forces say most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks.

Others were shot dead during protests and clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

The Hebron area, where Palestinians, Jewish settlers and soldiers live in close proximity, is a frequent scene of clashes.

Last month the UN said it was “gravely concerned” about the killing of a Palestinian refugee on August 16 during an Israeli military incursion into the Fawwar refugee camp near the southern West Bank city.

“A reportedly unarmed 19-year old Palestine refugee from Fawwar camp was killed after being shot in the chest by live ammunition rounds reportedly fired by an Israeli sniper stationed approximately 100 metres away,” the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said.

PTI