People inspect the damage after Israeli forces demolished a house in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Aug. 13, 2024. (Credit: Zain Jaafar/AFP)
Two Palestinians were killed overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday by Israeli security forces near Jerusalem and in the northern West Bank, according to Israeli authorities and the Palestinian agency Wafa.
"The army entered Tubas at dawn and shot and killed a young man hiding in his home," the Palestinians' official Wafa news agency reported.
The Israeli army confirmed it had launched a "counterterrorism operation" in the city, during which it "eliminated one terrorist" and "hit others during an exchange of fire".
It said its troops had "arrested wanted suspects and located and confiscated weapons".
The army said it also "carried out air strikes on several armed terrorists" in the town of Tamun, five kilometres (three miles) from Tubas.
Earlier, the Israeli police said they had shot dead a Palestinian teenager who was "climbing the wall" separating Jerusalem from the West Bank to "throw Molotov cocktails".
The 16-year-old was taken to hospital for treatment but was pronounced dead, the police said.
Israel killed a man freed in Gaza truce
A Palestinian prisoners watchdog said Tuesday that a man shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Monday had been freed during the November truce in the Gaza war.
The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said the 18-year-old had been released on November 25 during the one-week truce that saw scores of Palestinian prisoners exchanged for dozens of Israeli hostages held in Gaza since October 7.
The Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah said Tariq Ziad Abdul Rahim Daoud was killed "by the occupation forces' bullets near the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya", in the northern West Bank, on Monday.
The Israeli military said the alleged attacker had "fired at an Israeli civilian who was in the city" of Qalqilya, despite Israel forbidding its citizens from visiting Palestinian built-up areas.
The Israeli civilian was wounded along with two Palestinians, the military said in a statement.
Hamas later issued a statement mourning the death of Tariq Daoud and claiming he was a member of its armed wing.
Violence has surged in the West Bank since war broke out between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on October 7. At least 621 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian official figures.
During the same period at least 18 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks in the territory, according to Israeli official figures.