Israeli Forces Kill 24 Palestinians in 9 Days

Israeli forces have killed at least 24 Palestinians since Oct. 3, as frustration turns into violence over the Israeli government’s continuing policy to build Jewish settlements throughout the West Bank in violation of international law.

In the meantime, the accountability director of nongovernmental organization Defense for Children International, Ayed Abu Qtaish, denounced that the Israeli government has given “soldiers and settlers the green light to shoot Palestinian children.”

The death toll rose as a Palestinian teenager, Ahmad Sharaka, was shot dead by Israeli troops during confrontations a checkpoint near the city of Ramallah.

Late last week, Israeli forces shot dead six Palestinians.

Israeli authorities have refused to say whether their forces are using live ammunition, but hospital officials said various Palestinians arrived with bullet wounds. | Photo: Reuters

Intense clashes entered their seventh day on Sunday in cities and villages across the occupied West Bank, after weeks of violent protests that erupted over tensions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.

An Israeli spokesperson told Al Jazeera that their forces used various methods in an attempt to disperse protesters, but she denied confirming live ammunition had been used.

But a hospital official in Ramallah, where Sharaka was taken, told Al Jazeera, “The boy [Sharaka] had a wound from a live bullet in the neck when he arrived at the emergency room. Unfortunately his wounds were so severe that he could not make it and he died despite all of the medical procedures.”

The official said the hospital received four more patients with bullet wounds.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that at least 332 Palestinians have been injured during clashes with Israeli forces Sunday.

About 1,990 Palestinians have been injured since the beginning of October by stun grenades, gas bombs, rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition fired at them by Israeli forces.

Various international human rights organizations accused the Israeli forces of deliberately and indiscriminately opening fire on observers and demonstrators alike.

WATCH: Palestine: Tensions Flare After Israeli Forces Kill 9 Youth