Amidst ongoing unrest, Israeli forces fatally shot a Palestinian man near a contested shrine in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, according to Palestinian health authorities. This incident further fuels the cycle of violence that has plagued the region for months, marking the most severe period of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank in nearly two decades.
The incident unfolded during an Israeli military escort of worshippers, including high-ranking officials, to Joseph's Tomb in Nablus. This site has historically been a focal point for confrontations. The Israeli military reported that individuals fired upon and hurled explosives, rocks, and burning tires at the troops, who responded with gunfire.
Palestinian news agency Wafa identified the deceased as 19-year-old Badr al-Masri, with reports indicating three others sustained injuries. The escalating tension between Israel and Palestine has been marked by increased Israeli raids in Palestinian territories within the West Bank, a response to a surge in Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis.
Since the beginning of 2023, over 150 Palestinians have lost their lives to Israeli fire in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as per an Associated Press count. While Israel asserts that the majority of those killed were militants, Palestinian casualties also include youths protesting Israeli military actions and individuals not directly participating in confrontations. Concurrently, at least 26 individuals have died in Palestinian attacks on Israelis during this period.
Israel maintains that its frequent raids are crucial to dismantle militant networks and prevent future attacks. Palestinians, however, view the violence as a consequence of the ongoing occupation, exacerbated by expanding Israeli settlements and escalating settler violence. The West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, were seized by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War, territories that Palestinians claim for their prospective independent state.
