Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian, wound two journalists

A Palestinian man has been shot dead and at least two others have been injured by Israeli forces in the town of Deir al-Hatab, east of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Alaa Zaghal, 21, “died of a bullet wound to the head fired by the occupation [Israeli] army,” a statement on Wednesday read.

At least six other Palestinians, including two journalists, were wounded by Israeli fire, medics at the scene said.

The Israeli army confirmed it was conducting a military operation in the village of Deir al-Hatab.

Local residents said the army had surrounded a house inside the village, killing Zaghal and shooting at a local media crew that was covering the incident.

Two journalists from Palestine TV were shot by Israeli soldiers, one in the hand and another in the shoulder, pictures released by the television station showed. Mahmoud Fawzy and Loai Samhan were seen bleeding and being taken away by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

The intentional targeting of journalists by Israeli Occupation Forces continues.

Deir Al-Hattab, moments ago. https://t.co/RPiYsxfEQ2 pic.twitter.com/vpzGAO4zfQ

— Jalal (@JalalAK_jojo) October 5, 2022

The violence was the latest to hit the north of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, an area that has seen near-daily raids, many of them deadly, by Israeli troops since March.

Nablus has increasingly become a target for Israeli operations following the emergence of a new armed faction, a loose coalition of Palestinian fighters called the Lions’ Den.

The arrest of one of the group’s members by Palestinian Authority security forces last month sparked clashes in the city between security forces and local gunmen, killing one.

On Monday, Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in the Jalazone refugee camp near Ramallah.

The Israeli military said soldiers went into the camp to apprehend an individual suspected of “terror activity”.

During Monday’s operation, “two suspects attempted to carry out a ramming attack against IDF soldiers. The soldiers responded with fire and neutralised the two suspects”, said the Israeli military.

The account was disputed by a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who said the troops had carried out an “execution”.

“Such a reckless policy will not bring security or stability for anyone,” said the spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh.

The bodies of the two men were taken away by Israeli forces. This policy of holding the bodies of alleged Palestinian attackers denies families from burying their loved ones, rights groups say.

Ramy Abdu, the founder of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, said Israel’s withholding the bodies of Palestinians is an act of collective violence that is considered a war crime.

“Articles in the Geneva Conventions assure the necessity of burying the bodies of deceased detainees or those who were killed with respect according to procedures that are appropriate with their religious culture,” he told Al Jazeera.