West Bank: Three Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Nablus

Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

The Palestinian ministry said the three people “killed by Israeli gunfire” were Noreddin al-Ardah, 32, Montserr Salame, 33, and Saad al-Kharaz, 43.

The Israeli army has spoken of three “armed terrorists” who fired at its troops from a vehicle in Nablus, saying they retaliated, “neutralizing” them.

The army said in a statement that the troops also seized three M16 rifles, a firearm, cartridges and military equipment.

The Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas said the three men were part of its armed wing, the Azzedine al-Qassam Brigades.

A Hamas statement said, “We mourn the death of our brave martyrs who died this morning in an armed conflict with the occupying forces in Nablus.”

These new deaths come against the backdrop of an escalation of violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the beginning of the year, particularly in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967.

Nabil Abu Roudeen, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the “war crime”.

“Israeli crimes will not bring our people to their knees or bring security and stability to anyone,” he said in a statement.

At least 201 Palestinians, as well as 27 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian, have been killed in violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the beginning of this year, according to AFP’s count established from official sources.

These figures include combatants and civilians from the Palestinian side, and include most civilians and three members of the Arab minority from the Israeli side.

About three million Palestinians live in the occupied West Bank, excluding occupied and occupied East Jerusalem. About 490,000 Israelis also live in settlements considered illegal under international law by the United Nations.