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Three Palestinian men have been killed by Israeli forces in two separate incidents in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials say.
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Two were brothers in their 20s who were reportedly shot dead as clashes broke out with Israeli troops near Ramallah. Israel’s military said suspects threw petrol bombs at troops during an operation and that they returned fire. The third man was shot dead after two Israeli army jeeps out on patrol broke down near Hebron. The military said its forces were shot at and that improvised explosives were thrown at them.
Israel carries out search-and-arrest raids almost every night in the West Bank, where at least 140 Palestinians have been killed this year, most by Israeli fire. More than 30 Israelis have also been killed amid a spate of gun and knife attacks by Palestinians.
Jawad Rimawi, 22, and Thafer Rimawi, 21, who were students at Birzeit University, were killed on Tuesday about 16km (10 miles) north-west of Ramallah. Palestinian sources said the brothers had visited a relative in the village of Beit Rima as Israeli forces carried out an operation in the area. As the forces withdrew, confrontations broke out with dozens of young Palestinians, who threw stones and petrol bombs at them, the sources added.
The Palestinian health ministry said the brothers were shot and taken to a local hospital, where they died. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that a “riot was instigated by a number of suspects” during a “routine” overnight activity. “The suspects hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails toward the soldiers, who responded with riot dispersal means and live fire,” it added.
