West Bank Violence Escalates After Palestinian Teen Shot Dead by Israeli Troops

RAMALLAH — A 15‑year‑old Palestinian boy was shot dead by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank early Friday, while Israeli settlers later set fire to a mosque in a separate village, according to Palestinian officials.

The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the teen as Fahd Zidan Oweis, killed in the town of Al‑Lubban Al‑Sharqiyya near Nablus. The Israeli military said the “masked terrorist” was throwing rocks at Israeli vehicles on a main road, endangering lives.

Hours later, in the village of Jibiya north of Ramallah, settlers allegedly torched a room inside a mosque and burned two cars in its courtyard, also spraying Hebrew graffiti on the outer walls. Witnesses said the attack happened shortly after midnight. The Israeli military said troops searched for suspects but did not locate them.

The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Affairs condemned the arson as a “cowardly terrorist act.” Violence has surged in the West Bank since the Gaza war began in October 2023. According to an AFP tally, Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least 1,072 Palestinians in the territory during that period.

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