01 February 2016•Update: 01 February 2016
By Anees Barghouthi
RAMALLAH, Palestine
The Israeli military has sealed off the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday as part of measures taken following the shooting of three Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli military told Anadolu Agency that only Ramallah residents and humanitarian workers would be allowed to enter the city, which functions as the West Bank's administrative capital.
A statement from the Palestinian military liaison office on Sunday evening added that, according to the Israeli order, people would only be able to leave the city through Israeli military checkpoints.
The disruption began Sunday when checkpoints were set up near the city after a Palestinian police officer allegedly opened fire at a checkpoint for the Beit El settlement north of Ramallah.
The Palestinian police officer was shot dead and three Israeli soldiers were injured, two of them seriously, according to the Israeli military.
The Palestinian health ministry confirmed Monday morning that 18-year-old Palestinian Ahmad Hassan Tuba was killed by Israeli forces.
The Israeli military said Tuba was shot after drawing a knife when he was apprehended while trying to sneak through the security fence of an Israeli settlement in the northern West Bank.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, Monday's death brings the total number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since Oct. 1 to 167, including 35 children and seven women.
Thirty Israelis or foreigners have been killed over the same period.
- Kaamil Ahmed contributed to this report from Jerusalem.
