Israeli forces kill Palestinian teen in West Bank

Israeli forces fatally shot a 16-year-old Palestinian boy in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, the Palestinian health ministry said. Two other boys, both 14, were wounded in the same incident at the Qalandia refugee camp near Ramallah.

It was the second reported killing of a Palestinian teenager in the West Bank within a week.

What happened in the West Bank shooting?

Israeli forces opened fire during an incident at the Qalandia refugee camp near Ramallah on Sunday, killing a 16-year-old Palestinian boy. The health ministry said he was pronounced dead after being shot. Two 14-year-old boys were also hit, sustaining gunshot wounds to their lower limbs in the same shooting.

Has the Israeli military responded?

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the shooting. No additional details about the circumstances of the incident have been released by Israeli authorities. The health ministry's account remains the only official statement on record so far.

Why has violence risen in the West Bank?

Violence in the West Bank has escalated since the Gaza war began in October 2023. Israel has occupied the territory since 1967, and the past two years have seen a sharp rise in deadly incidents. This shooting adds to a mounting toll of Palestinian casualties in the region.

How many Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since 2023?

Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,087 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 2023, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry data. That figure includes both fighters and civilians. Official Israeli figures show at least 46 Israelis, both soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations in the territory over the same period.