In the first deadly raid in the Jericho region in months, Israeli forces murdered two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
According to the health ministry, Israeli forces “during an attack on Jericho at dawn today” shot Qusay Omar Suleiman al-Walaji, 16, and Mohammed Ribhi Njoom, 25, in the chest.
An AFP request for comment on the raid did not immediately receive a response from the Israeli military.
It was the first lethal raid on Jericho, a historic city in the Jordan Valley that is close to the Dead Sea, since May 1.
In recent months, there has been an increase in violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has been characterized by Israeli military incursions and deadly attacks by both Israelis and Palestinians.
Since the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel has held the West Bank under occupation.
With the exception of east Jerusalem, which has been annexed, the land is home to about 3 million Palestinians and about 490,000 Israelis who reside in settlements that are prohibited by international law.
The number of Palestinians killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this year as of the Jericho raid is at 216.
According to an AFP count collated from official sources on both sides, there have also been 28 Israelis, one Ukrainian, and one Italian killed.
On the Palestinian side, they include both citizens and combatants, whereas on the Israeli side, three Arab minorities are represented.
