​​​​​​​ISTANBUL

Two Palestinians, including a minor, were killed at dawn on Friday by Israeli army gunfire in Kafr Aqab, where northernmost East Jerusalem meets the West Bank.

Palestinian Red Crescent Society teams dealt with two critical injuries caused by live bullets during an Israeli raid on Kafr Aqab, and both were transferred to the hospital, reported Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The Palestinian Health Ministry announced the deaths of Amr Al-Marbou’, 18, and Sami Mashaikh, 16, who succumbed to the wounds they sustained from Israeli gunfire, the agency reported later.

Israeli forces stormed Kafr Aqab, deployed foot patrols in its streets, and positioned snipers on the rooftops of several buildings, before opening fire on the young men, reported Wafa.

The Israeli army has escalated its attacks in the occupied West Bank since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.

At least 1,078 Palestinians have since been killed and 10,700 others injured in attacks by the army and illegal settlers in the occupied territory.

More than 20,500 people have also been arrested.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.