Settlements Accused in the Death of Qusai Jamal Maatan
In the occupied West Bank, two Palestinians were shot and killed on Friday, with one being shot by Israeli soldiers and the other by settlers, as reported by the Palestinian health ministry. The first casualty, 19-year-old Qusai Jamal Maatan, was announced dead late on Friday, with the ministry stating that he was “shot dead by settlers in the village of Burqa”, located east of Ramallah. The Israeli military has not yet issued a response to the incident.
Earlier that day, another young Palestinian, 18-year-old Mahmoud Abu Saan, was also killed by live bullets from Israeli forces in Tulkarm. The Israeli army claimed that their forces were patrolling when “suspects fired and hurled explosives and stones at the soldiers, who responded with live fire.” They identified hits, but no soldiers were injured in the incident.
The Palestinian health ministry reported that Abu Saan was “shot in the head by the occupation soldiers at zero distance.” His funeral saw his head shrouded in the Palestinian flag as his body was paraded through the town’s streets before the burial.
Ongoing Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has resulted in ongoing violence and fatalities this year. According to an AFP tally compiled from official sources on both sides, at least 207 Palestinians, 27 Israelis, one Ukrainian, and one Italian have lost their lives in the conflict-related violence. The casualties include both combatants and civilians on the Palestinian side, as well as three members of the Arab minority on the Israeli side.
The West Bank remains a contentious area, with Israeli forces regularly conducting armed incursions into Palestinian Authority-controlled territories. The presence of Israeli settlements, considered illegal under international law, further complicates the situation, leading to frequent clashes and violence in the region.
SOURCE: Ref Image from VOA News
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