Palestinians, Israeli forces clash in West Bank

Four Palestinians suffered teargas inhalation during clashes with an Israeli army force in the north of the Western Bank, eyewitnesses said. Clashes erupted when the Israeli force, backed by personnel carriers and armored vehicles, raided Urif town, southern Nablus, with no stated objective, eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency. The Israeli force searched several houses, angering residents who started hurling stones at the troops. The Israeli army used live ammunition but no casualties were reported, the eyewitnesses said. Earlier in the day, clashes broke out between young Palestinians and Israeli troops in Al-Khalil (Hebron), in the south of the West Bank, after Jewish settlers stormed an Islamic shrine, claiming that it belongs to a rabbi.

Israeli troops fired rubber bullets and teargas at stone-hurling Palestinians.

Five Palestinians suffered gas inhalation and were treated on the spot, while three others sustained rubber bullet injuries and were taken to a local hospital, the eyewitnesses said.

Al-Khalil is home to about 160,000 Palestinian Muslims and about 500 Jewish settlers who live in several Jewish-only enclaves that are heavily guarded by Israeli troops.