Israeli forces kill Palestinian near West Bank settlement
Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Monday.
The man was identified as Bilal Ibrahim Qadah, 33, by the Palestinian health ministry.
Qadah, a father of three, was apparently in his car driving close to the Palestinian village of Deir Nidham and the Israeli settlement of Khalamish when he came under fire.
According to an eyewitness and footage from the scene, his car was hit from the back.
Qadah was pictured laying on the floor next to his car after being shot by Israeli soldiers.
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Palestinian media said Israeli troops blocked paramedics and residents from reaching him after he was injured, leaving him to bleed to death.
The Israeli military said in a statement Qadah attempted to throw a handmade explosive device at troops and opened fire at them using an improvised submachine gun known as a Carlo.
It added that troops returned fire and killed him. No Israeli casualties were reported.
It also claimed a Carlo gun was found next to Qadah’s body.
An eyewitness living nearby disputed the Israeli account, doubting that there had been any attacks on Israeli troops in the area.
Israeli troops often shoot Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, citing alleged attempts to attack Israelis.
On Sunday, Israeli forces in Jerusalem shot and wounded a 60-year-old Palestinian woman, claiming she had pulled out a knife at a light rail station.
The Israeli army has been criticised by rights groups for its "shoot-to-kill" policy used against Palestinians even when victims posed no danger to soldiers.
Qadah’s killing comes amid heightened Israeli violence against Palestinians in the West Bank in recent weeks.
According to a Middle East Eye tally, 194 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, including 33 children - at a rate of more than one fatality per day.
At least 158 people died in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while the remaining 36 were killed in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Palestinians have killed 25 Israelis in the same period, including six children.
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