Israeli soldiers kills 'deaf Palestinian father' in occupied Hebron

Mohammed al-Jabari, 24, was shot during the clashes in the southern West Bank city of Hebron and later died in hospital, the ministry said.

Palestinian sources say the father of two was deaf and mute and that he was not actively engaging in any clashes when he was shot.

The Israeli army claimed a "riot" had broken out in Hebron and that protesters had attacked soldiers.

"Troops fired live rounds towards a main instigator who held a firebomb with the intent to hurl it," a spokesperson said, adding an investigation had been launched.

Last month, a Palestinian teenager was shot dead after attempting to stab a civilian security guard at the entrance to an illegal Israeli settlement on Wednesday, the Israeli army reported, in the fourth deadly incident to hit the occupied West Bank in two days.

The victim was identified as 17-year-old Hamza Zamareh, from Halhul. 

The Israeli, who was guarding the entrance to the Karmei Tzur settlement north of Hebron, was lightly wounded in the attack, according to an IDF statement. Another security guard reportedly opened fire on Zamareh and killed him.

Local residents said that Israeli troops arrived at the Zamareh family home shortly after the attack and began interrogating relatives, while young villagers hurled stones at the soldiers.

Around 600 ultra-nationalist Israeli settlers live in the heart of Hebron, the largest Palestinian city in the West Bank. The settler enclave is protected by twice as many Israeli soldiers.

Hebron is known to be an exceptionally hostile environment due to its high concentration of settlers in the city. Its Palestinian residents reportedly live in fear due to Israeli aggression and apartheid practices. 

Agencies contributed to this report