Israeli fire kills Palestinian in West Bank; occupiers torch vehicles, steal livestock

By Qais Darwesh Omar

HEBRON, Palestine / ISTANBUL (AA) - Israeli forces fatally shot a Palestinian early Monday near Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Israeli troops opened fire on Ramzi Abdel Hakim al-Awawda near the junction of Kharsa village southwest of Hebron, leaving him bleeding and preventing medical teams from reaching him, WAFA said. Troops confiscated ambulance keys and later withheld the body, the agency added, citing unnamed sources who said he "died of his wounds."

In a separate incident, Israeli occupiers torched two vehicles and stole livestock early Monday in the southern West Bank, witnesses told Anadolu. Occupiers targeted the al-Rahwa area in the town of Sa'ir, northeast of Hebron, burning two vehicles and stealing about 25 sheep, witnesses said. They added that occupiers spray-painted racist slogans in Hebrew on homes before leaving the area.

In the nearby al-Minya area, occupiers attacked Palestinian homes, wrote similar slogans, and attempted to burn vehicles before residents confronted them, the same sources said.

The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission said occupiers have carried out 443 attacks since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran on Feb. 28, exploiting the instability to intensify assaults on Palestinian communities.

Israeli attacks in the West Bank have continued since Oct. 8, 2023, killing 1,139 Palestinians, injuring about 11,700 others, and leading to roughly 22,000 arrests, amid international warnings over a potential annexation of the territory.

*Writing by Lina Altawell