RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories, Nov 5, 2023 (71newsbdAFP) – Three Palestinians were killed Sunday by Israeli forces in the West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said, as violence flares in the occupied territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Two men, aged 22 and 20, were killed “in an attack by Israeli occupation forces on Abu Dis”, a suburb of annexed east Jerusalem separated by the Israeli wall encircling the West Bank, the Ramallah-based ministry said.

One of the two was fatally hit by a “bullet in chest” and “six others were wounded, three seriously”, according to a statement.

Further south, a 22-year-old Palestinian was “killed by Israeli occupation bullets in Nuba, northwest of Hebron,” the ministry said.

Contacted by AFP, the Israeli army said they were “looking into the reports” on Abu Dis and Nuba.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old Palestinian “succumbed to his wounds after having been hit by Israeli occupation bullets several days ago in Al-Eizariya” also on the outskirts of Jerusalem, the ministry said.

Since the beginning of the war triggered by Hamas attacks on October 7, which Israeli officials say killed 1,400 people, more than 150 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli forces and settler attacks in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Israeli forces have arrested more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank in that time, the army said, most of them affiliated with Hamas. Clashes have often erupted during such operations.