2024-03-21 22:57:15
A Palestinian who converted to Judaism was killed by Israeli fire in the occupied West Bank, according to a person close to him, while the army said it killed a “suspect” in the same place without confirming his identity.
Noam Arnon, spokesman for the Jewish community in the city of Hebron, wrote on a local news website, “This morning, David Ben Avraham, who converted to Judaism, passed away in a tragic way,” explaining that the 62-year-old Palestinian was from Hebron and was called Sameh Zaytoun.
He added that he converted to Judaism in 2020 and has since adopted the Hebrew name David Ben Abraham.
Arnon, who was close to the victim, said that “the soldiers mistakenly suspected him and shot him” at the Eliezer crossroads, between Hebron and Jerusalem in the southern West Bank, and he died of his wounds.
The Israeli army said in a statement that “soldiers opened fire, during a military operation, on a Palestinian who aroused their suspicions at the Eliezer Junction.” He added that the person, whose identity was not revealed, died of his wounds and that the military police opened an investigation.
The army did not immediately respond when contacted by Agence France-Presse for more details.
The war that broke out in the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack in Israel on October 7 led to an escalation of violence in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967.
According to the Palestinian Authority, more than 440 Palestinians have been killed since that date by Israeli soldiers or settlers, including at least eight who were killed on Wednesday and Thursday.
At least 17 Israeli soldiers or civilians were killed in attacks, according to Israeli authorities.
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