Ramallah

The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced the death of Yazan Omar Jamil Khasib, 23, who died “after the occupation [Israeli forces] opened fire on him at the northern entrance of al-Bireh” city near Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, on Friday.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that he was arrested in critical condition by Israeli soldiers, only to succumb to his serious gunshot wounds and pronounced dead a few minutes later.  

Palestinian ambulance and medical staff were denied access by the Israeli army to the scene, where the young man was first reported wounded.

Khasib's body was held by Israeli occupation military force for two hours, before it was turned over to the Palestinian side.

The Israeli army later asserted in a statement that its forces “spotted a suspect and asked him to identify himself”. It further claimed that the man then drew a knife and Israeli troops opened fire and “neutralized” him.

It added the killing took place close to Beitin, a Palestinian village near al-Bireh. None of the Israeli forces was harmed in the purported incident.

Since the start of this year, at least 88 Palestinians, including 17 children and one woman, have been killed by Israeli forces, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Over the past months, Israel has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories. As a result of these attacks, dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been arrested.

Most of the raids have focused on Nablus and Jenin, where Israeli forces have been trying to stifle a growing Palestinian resistance in the occupied cities.

Local and international rights groups have condemned Israel’s excessive use of force and “shoot-to-kill policy” against Palestinians.