Palestinian killed in firefight with Israeli forces in southern West Bank’s Hebron city

By Zein Khalil and Awad Rajoub

JERUSALEM (AA) – A Palestinian resisting Israeli occupation in the southern West Bank was killed on Saturday in an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers in the Jewish neighborhood of Hebron city.

The Israeli army in a statement confirmed that its soldiers were attacked by a Palestinian, but claimed that his firing caused no injuries or damage.

Israeli soldiers killed him and are now conducting a search operation in the area, it said.

Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported that the man was armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle and opened fire from the Islamic cemetery towards the Jewish neighborhood in Hebron.

The security forces killed the Palestinian gunman and wounded and arrested another, with no Israeli casualties, it reported.

In video footage circulated on social media, the gunman believed to be in his 50s was seen shooting from within the cemetery before being killed.

Other videos showed Israeli army reinforcements and several Palestinians being arrested and interrogated.

Tensions have been high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip after a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 434 Palestinians from the West Bank have been killed by the Israeli forces and settlers since Oct. 7, in addition to over 4,700 others injured.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi