Palestinian student shot dead near Hebron

One woman shot dead and at least two others injured after Israeli soldiers open fire near al-Arroub refugee camp.

Aida camp
In recent months, Palestine has seen an increase in the use of live ammunition by Israeli soldiers [AFP]

A 21-year-old Palestinian woman has died after being shot in the face by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, witnesses said.

Lubna Hanash was killed when she and her companions were walking to a college near Al-Arroub refugee camp, some 8km north of Hebron, witnesses and medics said.

“It was a high commander in the Israeli army that got out from a civilian car and shot four bullets hitting four people; two women and two men. One of the women was shot in the head and killed. Two went to the hospital, [the] other two were slightly injured,” said Issa Amro, a human rights activist in Hebron.

Witnesses told the Reuters news agency that a civilian car with Israeli plates stopped on the main Hebron-Bethlehem road and two men wearing military fatigues got out and began shooting towards a nearby Palestinian college. 

Medics also said another two people were injured by gunshot wounds.

Amro told Al Jazeera that the woman was a student at the Abu Dees University in Jerusalem.

“The Israeli soldiers were very violent today in Hebron, they detained two, said bad words to girls and let the settlers destroy olive trees and a children’s swing.”

Increased shootings 

The military had no immediate information on the incident.

In a separate development, a 15-year-old Palestinian who was shot in the face by Israeli gunfire on Friday, died of his injuries, an Israeli hospital spokeswoman said.

Their deaths raised to six the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire since January 10.

The teenager who died, Saleh Amarin, had been seriously injured by a bullet fired by Israeli troops during clashes in Aida refugee camp north of Bethlehem.

He was transferred to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein-Kerem hospital for further treatment.

At the time, the Israeli military said troops were firing at the legs of a group of 30 Palestinians which was protesting near Rachel’s Tomb.

With additional reporting by Al Jazeera’s Renee Lewis

Source: News Agencies