Israeli forces kill Palestinian in West Bank: health ministry

Israeli forces kill Palestinian in West Bank: health ministry
Zakaria Hamayel, 28, was struck by a live bullet to the chest in the village of Beita, south of Nablus, during a protest against Israeli settlement expansion on Palestinian land, the Palestinian health ministry said
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Hundreds of Palestinians had gathered at a hill on the outskirts of Beita, south of Nablus, to protest Israeli settlement expansion [AFP]

Israeli forces on Friday shot dead a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Zakaria Hamayel, 28, was struck by a live bullet to the chest in the village of Beita, south of Nablus, during a protest against Israeli settlement expansion on Palestinian land, the ministry said. 

The Israeli army said it was investigating the incident.

Hundreds of Palestinians had gathered at the protest at Jabal Sbeih, a hill on the outskirts of Beita, which Israeli authorities have earmarked for settlement building, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Israeli soldiers fired live rounds, rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas at the crowd, injuring 23, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. 

On Tuesday, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man during a raid in the Al-Amari refugee camp near Ramallah.

Read more: Israeli undercover police 'kill Palestinian refugee' near Ramallah

Israeli forces have been carrying out nonstop arrests across the West Bank following protests that erupted over Israel's 11-day bombardment of the besieged Gaza strip.

An Egypt-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas came into effect a week ago.

More than 25 Palestinians have been killed since May 10 in the West Bank alone, where some 475,000 Jewish Israelis live in settlements considered illegal under international law.

The West Bank has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War.