Israeli settler filmed shooting Palestinian at point-blank range in West Bank

By Qais Omar Darwesh Omar

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - An Israeli settler was filmed shooting a Palestinian at point-blank range in the city of Hebron in the southern West Bank.

A video circulated by Israeli non-governmental organization B'Tselem showed an armed settler assaulting Palestinians in the village of Al-Tuwani near Yatta, south of Hebron, before opening fire at one of them at a point-blank range, in the presence of the Israeli army.

In a statement, the Palestinian Health Ministry said: "The critical injury resulted from live ammunition fired by the occupation forces, impacting the abdomen. The wounded individual was transported to Shahid Abu al-Hasan al-Qasim Hospital in Yatta."

The West Bank is currently experiencing a surge in tensions and on-ground confrontations between Palestinians and the Israeli army, simultaneously with the deteriorating situation in Gaza since last Saturday.

In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began last Saturday when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea and air.

Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers' growing violence against Palestinians.The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.

* Writing by Rania Abu Shamala