JERUSALEM – Israeli forces on Wednesday killed three Palestinians, including a teenage boy, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. The three incidents took place separately, as Muslims start the holy month of Ramadan.
In two of the 3 cases, Israeli force justified the shooting because the suspects threw firebombs during their West Bank operations, but Palestinian officials said that one of the three individuals killed, Mohammed Assaf, 34, was simply driving by when he was shot and killed by the Israeli forces.
The other individual killed, was a 14-year-old teenager who was killed during the shooting that broke out, said the Palestinian Health Ministry said. The teenager’s death is likely to cause international criticism.
On Wednesday, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said the Arab state strongly condemned Israel’s West Bank operations and what he called excessive force against Palestinians.
The tensions have escalated as Muslims mark Ramadan, which this year converges with major Jewish and Christian holidays. In the coming week as Passover and Easter commence, tens of thousands from the three faiths are expected to stream into Jerusalem’s Old City, the emotional heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a frequent flashpoint for violence.
