Palestinian killed in West Bank as Israel opens fire on ‘armed suspects’

The Israeli military opened fire on “armed suspects” during a routine patrol in the West Bank on Sunday, killing at least one Palestinian, reports say.

The Palestinian health ministry identified the slain fighter as Saed al-Koni, a member of “The Lion’s Den,” a militant coalition. The incident occurred when Israeli troops fired on “armed suspects driving in a vehicle and a motorcycle” in the West Bank city of Nablus, according to a statement from the Israeli Defense Force.

Al-Koni’s slaying was the second to take place near Nablus in as many days, with IDF troops shooting a second fighter who carried out an “attempted ramming attack” on a roadblock.

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned Saturday’s killing, saying Israeli forces had killed a “defenseless Palestinian.” The slain man was identified as Muhammad Ali Hussein Awad, according to Agence France-Presse.

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“The Israeli police deliberately shot Awad, with the aim of killing him, after his vehicle collided with a police vehicle in a traffic accident,” the ministry said, according to AFP.

The incidents come more than a month after violence between Israeli forces and militants in Gaza reached a boiling point last month, ultimately ending with a cease-fire in early August.

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The conflict saw militants fire hundreds of rockets into Israel, and the IDF responding with multiple airstrikes across the region.

The Israeli military conducts frequent patrols in the West Bank and Gaza, often seeking individuals associated with terror organizations operating there.

Israeli forces remain on high alert as the country is poised to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year, according to AFP. The holiday begins Sunday evening.