Three Palestinians were killed Friday in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, one after allegedly attempting to run down Israeli soldiers and the others in clashes with troops. Palestinian youths fought Israeli forces near the northern entrance of the West Bank city of Hebron, and the soldiers responded with live fire, witnesses said. "Uday Jihad Irshaid, 22, was killed by live ammunition in his chest during clashes in Hebron," the Palestinian health ministry said.
The Israeli military confirmed using live rounds but not the fatality. "A violent riot is taking place in Hebron. Hundreds of Palestinians are attacking forces, hurling rocks and rolling burning tyres at them," a spokeswoman said. "In order to disperse the crowd, (forces fired) .22 calibre rounds towards the main instigators and warning shots into the air." Irshaid's 17-year-old sister Dania was killed six weeks ago after trying to stab security forces, according to Israeli police.
On the border with the Hamas-run coastal enclave of Gaza, a Palestinian was shot dead and 12 wounded in clashes with Israeli forces on the other side of the fence. The Palestinian health ministry said Sami Maadi, 41, died in the incident, east of the Al-Bureij refugee camp. An army spokeswoman said "hundreds" of rioters breached the buffer zone between Gaza and Israel, prompting forces to fire on them with live ammunition. "Hits were confirmed," she said.
In total 58 people were wounded by live fire in Gaza in four protests in the north, centre and south, the health ministry said. Earlier Friday, a 57-year-old Palestinian was shot dead as he tried to drive his car into a military checkpoint at Halhul, near Hebron, the army said. "A Palestinian attempted to ram his vehicle into security forces near Hebron" in the south of the territory, a statement said. Forces there "shot the attacker, resulting in his death," it said, adding that no Israelis were hurt.