Palestinian killed by Israeli settlers in West Bank: Officials

Ramallah, Aug 16 (IANS) A Palestinian was killed and another critically injured by gunfire from Israeli settlers in Qalqilya, northern West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported.

The ministry said on Thursday that the body of the deceased and the critically injured person, who was shot in the chest, were transported from the town of Jit in Qalqilya to a government hospital in Nablus, Xinhua news agency reported.Local sources identified the deceased as Rashid Abdul Qader Sada, 23. They also reported that settlers attacked the western part of Jit, setting fire to several homes and vehicles.

Sources told Xinhua that Israeli army forces closed the town's entrances and barred civil defence teams from extinguishing the fires. An Israeli military spokesperson told Israeli Public Radio that over 100 settlers had stormed Jit, burning homes and vehicles.Hossam Abu Hamda, the governor of Qalqilya, condemned what he called a "barbaric attack by settlers" on Jit, alleging that the army protected the settlers and obstructed emergency services until after the settlers had left. Abu Hamda said that three homes and four vehicles were burned.According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 630 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire across the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7, 2023.