NABLUS – Israeli forces shot dead a 14-year-old Palestinian boy and wounded two other teenagers during a military operation in the village of Burqa in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said.
The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the deceased as Moataz Eyad Daghlas, who was killed on Tuesday. Palestinian authorities said Israeli forces had also withheld his body.
According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, a 17-year-old sustained gunshot wounds to his abdomen and hip, while a 19-year-old was shot in the hand during the incident.
The Israeli military confirmed that its troops had opened fire in Burqa, claiming they were responding to Palestinians who attempted to throw stones at Israeli vehicles.
In a statement, the military said its soldiers had fired to eliminate a perceived threat and confirmed that several people had been struck by gunfire.
Meanwhile, Wafa reported that Israeli forces detained the slain boy’s father and prevented ambulances from reaching the wounded. Three Palestinian Red Crescent medical volunteers working in the area were also reportedly detained for a period before being released.
The latest incident comes amid escalating violence in the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023, with Palestinian communities increasingly facing attacks by Israeli settlers and military operations.
The United Nations has described settler violence in the territory as reaching unprecedented levels. UN figures show that at least 1,143 Palestinians, including 250 children, have been killed in the occupied West Bank since October 2023. The figure also includes Palestinians killed in attacks by Israeli settlers.
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), which monitors armed conflicts and political violence, has warned that 2026 is on course to become the most violent year for settler attacks in the past decade.
According to ACLED, 11 people were killed in July alone in four incidents involving armed settlers and Israeli forces.
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