Israeli forces kill unarmed Palestinian woman over alleged 'suspicious' approach of Bethlehem checkpoint

A Palestinian woman was shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank because she looked "suspicious" as she walked near a checkpoint near Bethlehem on Sunday.

The woman, identified as Ghada Ibrahim Ali Sabateen, could be seen holding her hands above her head as she ran away from the troops who opened fire at her, a graphic footage of the incident showed.

The woman, was a mother-of-six, was unarmed, according to Israeli forces spokesperson, who alleged that she looked "suspicious".

After shooting her, Israeli forces reportedly administered first aid before a private Palestinian car rushed her to the nearby Beit Jala government hospital.

Hospital staff tried to treat Sabateen, but had suffered a fatal injury to an artery in her leg and lost masses of blood as a result, according to a statement by the Palestinian health ministry. She later died at the hospital. 

Israeli media attempted to link the mother's killing to a spurious phenomenon of "suicide by cop", alleging that Palestinian women have been "acting in a suspicious or threatening manner with the hope that they will be shot dead by Israeli troops".

Ghada Sabateen was a widow and leaves behind six children, who have been orphaned by her killing. 

Rights groups have repeatedly slammed Israeli forces for showing "appalling disregard for human life" by using "reckless and unlawful lethal force" against Palestinians.

Amnesty International has repeatedly urged an end to the "worrying rise in unlawful killings by Israeli forces, fostered by a culture of impunity".