Israeli Soldiers Kill 15-Year-Old Palestinian in West Bank

An Israeli army spokeswoman claimed that a Palestinian attempted to stab a soldier near the Beita checkpoint in the northern West Bank, and that Israeli forces then fired at the man.

The Palestinian was declared dead on the scene, she added, saying that no Israelis were wounded.

An eyewitness told Ma'an News Agency that Israeli soldiers stationed at the Beita checkpoint fired more than 10 rounds at a young Palestinian who was carrying a knife and walking towards them.

The teenager was identified to Ma'an as Qusay Diab Abu al-Rub, 15, from the village of Qabatiya near Jenin, in the northern West Bank.

A photo reportedly taken at the scene and shared on social media by the Gaza-based Shehab News Agency showed the young boy lying on the ground with what looked like a bullet wound to the face.

Palestinian Red Crescent spokeswoman Errab Foqoha said a Red Crescent ambulance happened to be nearby at the time of the shooting, but was prevented from accessing the scene.

Over 170 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers since a wave of unrest spread across the occupied Palestinian territory in October.

The unrest has been marked by a surge of small-scale attacks and attempted attacks by Palestinian individuals -- predominantly on Israeli military targets -- which have left over 25 Israelis dead. The majority of suspected Palestinian attackers have been shot dead on site.