Palestinian dies as homemade grenade explodes: Reports

A Palestinian in the occupied West Bank died late on Monday while attempting to throw an improvised explosive devise at Israeli soldiers, Israel's army said.

According to an army spokesperson quoted by the Palestinian news agency Maan, a Palestinian man who was trying to attack Israeli forces near Hebron died when the handmade grenade he was about to hurl exploded in his hand.

Israeli soldiers arrived at the village of Khursa upon receiving reports that a road had been blocked with rocks, and soon after arriving they heard an explosion, the person told Maan. The troops then found the body of a young man misidentified at first as Muhannad Masharqa, but hours later, named as Dia al-Talahmeh.

"Initial inquiries suggest the suspect attempted to hurl an IED at an army vehicle when it detonated," the spokesperson said.

Israeli forces then prevented an ambulance from accessing the area, the activist said.

Tensions have increased in East Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied West Bank in recent days amid increased Israeli restrictions for Palestinian worshippers wishing to reach the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Earlier on Monday, Israeli police announced that thousands of officers would be deployed in East Jerusalem ahead of Yom Kippur and Eid al-Adha, following frequent altercations between Palestinians and Israeli police at al-Aqsa

Regular clashes have taken place between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces, and increased demonstrations against the Palestinian Authority (PA) - and its ongoing security collaboration with Israel - have led to violence more than once in the past week.

On Friday, Middle East Eye caught on video a moment in which several PA police officers beat a young Palestinian protester near Azza Refugee Camp in Bethlehem. The video footage quickly circulated on social media and the incident was condemned by high-ranking PA officials, who said the officers involved were being disciplined.

Just two days later, a demonstration against the PA in Bethlehem was dispersed when a plain-clothes police officer fired live bullets at demonstrators, with no injuries reported.