Palestinian youth shot dead by Israeli forces in occupied West Bank

By Rania Abushamala

JERUSALEM (AA) – A Palestinian youth was shot dead by Israeli forces near the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Wednesday, the Health Ministry said.

A ministry statement said that Qusai Maher Halaika, 28, from al-Shuyukh town in Hebron, was killed by Israeli forces, who withheld his body.

An Israeli police statement claimed that Halaika was “neutralized” for allegedly attempting to carry out a stabbing attack at a military checkpoint south of East Jerusalem.

The statement, however, did not provide details about his identity or his health condition.

No injuries were reported among Israeli soldiers.

According to Palestinian figures, Israeli forces and illegal settlers have killed at least 1,109 Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and injured nearly 11,000 others since October 2023.

The International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal in a landmark opinion in July 2024, and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.