Israeli army kills Palestinian youth in occupied West Bank

Ezzadin Tamimi was shot dead during an arrest attempt over stone throwing, Palestinian media outlets say.

Israeli soldiers aim their weapons during a protest by Palestinians
Israeli soldiers were reportedly pursuing Tamimi over stonethrowing [File;Mussa Qawasma/Reuters]

An Israeli soldier has killed a Palestinian youth during a raid in the occupied West Bank village of Nabi Saleh.

Ezzadin Tamimi was shot dead when troops came to arrest him over alleged stone throwing, the Maan news agency said on Wednesday.

The soldier struck the 21-year-old with three bullets to the neck from a distance of around 45 metres, according to Palestinian activists.

Villagers said paramedics were prevented from treating Tamimi as he bled out from his wounds.

Video shared on YouTube by villagers shows the young man wounded on the ground as an Israeli army medic appears to administer first aid.

The Israeli army said one of its soldiers was hit by a rock while conducting the arrest and responded by shooting.

“The soldier hit by the rock opened fire on the Palestinian who was (then) injured and received medical treatment on the spot. Despite this, the suspect is dead,” it said in a tweet, adding that an investigation was ongoing.

Israel’s killing of unarmed Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza has earned it severe criticism in recent months.

Since March 30, at least 119 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza – a besieged territory of nearly two million people on the Mediterranean coast.

On Friday 21-year-old volunteer medic, Razan al-Najjar, was shot dead by Israeli troops as she tried to evacuate a wounded protester.

Source: Al Jazeera