Israeli forces kill three Palestinians in the West Bank
Israeli forces killed three Palestinians early on Tuesday morning in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, the Palestinian health ministry announced.
The Israeli army also confirmed the killings, alleging that the three Palestinians opened fire towards soldiers near the Israeli settlements on Mount Gerizim, in the vicinity of Nablus.
According to the Palestinian news source, Arab48, Israeli ambulances came to the scene and took the three bodies away.
Palestinian ambulances were stopped by Israeli forces from reaching the three victims - whose identities are yet to be confirmed.
According to eyewitness accounts, the Israeli army sprayed the vehicle the three Palestinians were travelling in with a hail of bullet fire for almost ten minutes.
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The Israeli army alleges that there was an exchange of fire between the two sides and, following a search of the vehicle, further weapons were found.
Palestinian eyewitnesses, however, said that Israeli forces “ambushed” the vehicle and went on to “assassinate” the young men.
Israeli forces went on to search a number of Palestinian homes and shops in the vicinity of the shooting and, according to reports from Arab48, confiscated CCTV footage.
It’s unclear whether the footage captured the Israeli shoot-out.
'Shoot-to-kill'
The Israeli military, which rarely investigates the killing of Palestinians by its troops, has been criticised by rights groups for its "shoot-to-kill" policy even when Palestinians pose no danger to soldiers.
A report in 2022 by the Israeli rights group Yesh Din found that less than one percent of soldiers accused of harming Palestinians between 2017-2021 were charged with crimes.
The military law enforcement authorities "systematically avoid investigating and prosecuting soldiers who harm Palestinians," the group said.
At least 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire this year, including 34 children - a rate of nearly one fatality per day.
A total of 163 people died in the occupied 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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