Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian who belonged to the Islamic Jihad militant group on Monday during clashes in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials and Islamic Jihad said.
Israel’s military said security forces had arrested five people suspected of what it called terrorist activity in and around the city of Jenin when a riot erupted.
“The rioters hurled rocks, explosive devices and Molotov cocktails at the forces and shots were heard in the area. The soldiers responded with live fire, hits were identified,” it said.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the killing, calling it an execution. Islamic Jihad, which fought a brief conflict with Israel in Gaza last month, called on its members to step up its fight against Israel.
Violence has simmered in the West Bank since Israel began a months-long campaign against suspected militants in response to a spate of street attacks carried out by Palestinians and members of Israel’s Arab minority that killed at least 18 people.
So far 97 Palestinians have been killed in the campaign, the Health Ministry says, including the attackers, civilians, and those shot during clashes with Israeli forces.
Also overnight, four Israeli soldiers were wounded when an explosive device was thrown at their post near the Palestinian town of Nabi Saleh, the army said.