RAMALLAH, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian man was killed by Israeli police fire near the city of Bethlehem in the southern West Bank on Wednesday, according to Palestinian sources.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a brief statement that it was informed by the Palestinian Civil Affairs Authority of the killing of Qusay Halaika, 28, by Israeli fire near Bethlehem, without providing further details.
Photos circulated on social media showed a young man lying dead on the ground, surrounded by several Israeli police officers.
Meanwhile, Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported that Israeli police officers noticed a suspect near a checkpoint. The report said that when officers questioned him, the suspect brandished a knife and attempted to carry out a stabbing attack. The police opened fire, killing him, and no officers were injured.
The West Bank and East Jerusalem, which were captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast War, have witnessed a continued escalation in violence since Oct. 7, 2023, coinciding with the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip. According to Palestinian statistics, more than 1,080 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since that date. ■
