3 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in West Bank unrest

Israeli forces shot dead three Palestinians engaged in clashes or attempted attacks in the occupied West Bank Thursday, the latest deaths in a nearly two-month wave of deadly violence.

Khaled Jawabrah from Al-Arub refugee camp, north of the flashpoint city of Hebron, died after being shot by Israeli forces with a live round as he was about to hurl a Molotov cocktail at an Israeli car, the army said.

Earlier, Samer Hassan Siresee, 51, was shot dead by border police after getting out of a taxi and running at forces with a knife at Tapuah junction near the northern West Bank city Nablus, police said.

And in the early hours, clashes in the village of Qatanna, northwest of Jerusalem, resulted in the death of Yahya Taha, 21, who the Palestinian health ministry said was shot in the head.

Ninety-seven Palestinians have been killed in violence since October 1, including an Israeli Arab.

Over half of them have been alleged perpetrators of stabbing, shooting and car ramming attacks aimed at Israeli civilians and security forces. Others have died in clashes with security forces.

The violence has also left 17 Israelis, an American and an Eritrean dead.

Attempts to ease the tensions, including a visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday, have so far proved unsuccessful.

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, has called a day of rage for Friday.
Source: AFP