Palestinian dies after West Bank clashes with Israeli troops
The clashes followed the funeral of Mahmoud Hamamrah who was shot dead by the Israeli army in similar violence late Tuesday, the sources added.
A Palestinian youth has succumbed to his injuries he sustained earlier Wednesday during clashes with Israeli troops in Husan town, nine kilometers west of Bethlehem, a medical source said.
Mohamed Hamamrah, 22, was moved to the Arab Society Hospital in Beit Jala in a serious condition after having been shot in the head during clashes with Israeli troops, the sources told Anadolu Agency.
The clashes followed the funeral of Mahmoud Hamamrah who was shot dead by the Israeli army in similar violence late Tuesday, the sources added.
The Israeli police used live ammunition, teargas, and rubber bullets to disperse the Palestinian protesters angered by Mahmoud's killing, they added.
Clashes erupted in several areas across the West Bank late Tuesday with Palestinian protesters taking to the streets in support of their countrymen in the Gaza Strip which has been reeling under a crippling Israeli onslaught over the past two weeks.
Since July 7, Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip with fierce aerial bombardments. On Thursday night, Israel stepped up its offensive to include ground operations, sending thousands of troops into the embattled Palestinian territory.
At least 678 Palestinians have been killed – mostly civilians – and more than 4300 others injured in Israel's ongoing offensive, now in its third week.
Gaza-based resistance factions, meanwhile, have continued to fire rocket at Israeli cities in response to relentless Israeli bombardments.
According to official Israeli figures, 34 Israeli soldiers and two civilians have been killed since the hostilities began.
Israel's military operation is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populate Gaza Strip – which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians – within the last six years.
In 2008/9, over 1500 Palestinians were killed in Israel's three-week-long "Operation Cast Lead."
By Qais Abu Samra
englishnews@aa.com.tr
