A Palestinian teenager aged 15 has been killed in clashes with Israeli troops on Wednesday.
The clashes started when a group of right-wing politicians visited a sensitive religious site on the occupied west bank.
According to a statement from the Palestinian health ministry, “Mahdi Mohammad Hashash died of serious wounds caused by shrapnel that hit different parts of his body during the occupation’s incursion into Nablus.” Nabulus is the largest city on the northern west bank.
The armed wing of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, the Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Brigade, has claimed that the minor was one of its members.
On the other side, the Israeli military has said that the troops were deployed in the area for securing the entrance of the worshippers to Joseph’s Tomb.
The Israeli army has also said that there were heard shots and the troops had shot towards a terrorist in response who had placed a bomb in the area. It also added that a hit was identified. However, the army declined to confirm that the troops were guarding the lawmakers.
According to AFP quoting a Jewish settler organization, eight Israeli politicians including current lawmakers and others who were elected on November 1 had come to visit Joseph’s Tomb. The group included Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party members and allies from the extreme right Religious Zionism bloc.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, three people were also injured in the clashes.
West Bank has been under Israel’s occupation since 1967.
