Israeli forces kill young Palestinian refugee in West Bank

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man on Tuesday when they stormed a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank city of Jericho.

The Palestinian health ministry said 20-year-old Ahmed Ibrahim Oweidat "succumbed to critical wounds sustained by live bullets to the head, at dawn today in Aqabat Jaber camp" which is near Jericho.

The incident is the latest in a series of Israeli attacks in the West Bank and East Jerusalem - including at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest site - amid the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Oweidat is the 25th Palestinian to have been killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank since late month.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said three men were injured when the "undercover" forces raided the camp overnight.

With the exception of the health sector, the Fatah movement in Jericho declared a general strike in protest of his death.

Israel's army in a statement to AFP said that soldiers conducted an overnight operation in Aqabat "to apprehend wanted suspects."

"During the operational activity, dozens of Palestinians violently rioted and attacked the soldiers. The rioters burned tires, and hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at the soldiers.

"The soldiers responded with riot dispersal means and live ammunition," the statement said, adding that no Israeli soldiers were hurt.

Press coverage: "The young Ahmed Ibrahim Oweidat (20 years), passed away due to critical wounds sustained by Israeli bullets in Aqabat Jaber camp, southwest of Jericho, at dawn today." pic.twitter.com/iZyTzNJ8Cv

— AlQastal News (@QastalNewsEn) April 26, 2022

Over 600,000 Israeli settlers reside in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israeli forces since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, in settlements which are illegal under international law.

Palestinians in the West Bank regularly face intimidation, violence, and restrictions on day-to-day activity from settlers and Israeli forces.

Agencies contributed to this report.