New wave of Israeli violence: 6 Palestinians killed

Ramallah: In a fresh wave of ruthless strike by Israeli forces, six Palestinians were killed and dozens other injured in the West Bank, officials said.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that Zakareya Al-Za'oul, 20, died on Monday after being shot in the head by Israeli soldiers in the village of Husan, west of Bethlehem, reports Xinhua news agency.

Palestinian witnesses and local sources said that during clashes that broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in the village, the demonstrators threw stones at the troopers who opened fire, killing Al-Za'oul as a result.

There was no Israeli authorities' comment on the incident of Al-Za'oul's death.

However, Israel Radio reported that an army force opened fire at a group of young men who threw Molotov cocktail bombs at the soldiers.

Al Jazeera reported that early on Monday, Israeli soldiers stormed the Jenin refugee camp and fired live ammunition, stun grenades and toxic gas, according to the Wafa news agency. Combat helicopters were used for the first time in decades after the ensuing hours-long exchange of gunfire between Palestinian fighters and the Israeli army.

Also on Monday, five Palestinians were killed and 91 others injured with 23 of them in serious condition, after an Israeli army force, backed by bulldozers and a helicopter, stormed the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

An Israeli army spokesman said that seven of its soldiers were injured during the operation in Jenin.

The army said that helicopters opened fire after gunmen were spotted, the first incident of its kind in 20 years

Militant groups affiliated with Palestinian factions announced that their members engaged in clashes with the storming Israeli forces in more than one place and managed to damage several vehicles and cause casualties among the soldiers.

Since January, tension has been heightening between Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank, following daily Israeli army raids on Palestinian cities, towns, villages and refugee camps to arrest Palestinians wanted by Israeli security forces.

(Input from IANS and news portals)