Palestinian teenage boy critically wounded in West Bank

Israeli military forces have shot and critically injured a Palestinian teenage boy during skirmishes in the central part of the West Bank as tensions continue between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian protesters in the occupied territories.

The incident took place near the illegal Israeli settlement of Psago, located adjacent to Ramallah, on Tuesday, when clashes broke out between a group of Palestinian school students and Israeli soldiers, Arabic-language Palestine al-Yawm news agency reported.

Israeli forces fired live rounds as well as rubber-coated steel bullets to disperse the crowd.

A 14-year-old Palestinian boy, who was not named, was hit in the lower extremities and injured. He was first taken to Palestine Medical Center, and then to Ramallah Government Hospital to receive medical treatment.

The development came only a day after Israeli forces killed a Palestinian teenager, alleging that he had attempted to stab them.

The Palestinian, identified as 17-year-old Ahmed Toba, was killed by Israeli gunfire near the illegal Sal’it settlement, south of the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem.

On Sunday, Israeli forces shot and critically injured a young Palestinian man after an alleged car-ramming attack in the central part of the West Bank. The incident took place near the illegal Israeli settlement of Beit Horon, located west of Ramallah and 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of al-Quds (Jerusalem), on Sunday.

The unnamed Palestinian purportedly sought to ram his car into a group of Israeli soldiers, Arabic-language Palestine al-Yawm news agency reported.

No Israeli soldier is believed to have been injured during the incident. Israeli soldiers then opened fire on the Palestinian youth, wounding him critically.

The occupied Palestinian territories have been the scene of heightened tensions. The latest wave of tensions was triggered by Israel’s imposition in August 2015 of restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina.

The restrictions have enraged Palestinians, who are also angry at increasing violence by Israeli settlers frequently storming the al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Palestinians say the Tel Aviv regime seeks to change the status quo of the compound.

At least 168 Palestinians, including children and women, have lost their lives at the hands of Israeli forces since the beginning of last October.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk