Israeli Troops Kill Hamas Man Who Army Says Attacked Post in West Bank

A protester hurls stones at members of the Israeli forces as they clash in the village of Kfar Qaddum, in the occupied West Bank, on September 29, 2023, during a demonstration against expropriation of Palestinian land by Israel. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)
A protester hurls stones at members of the Israeli forces as they clash in the village of Kfar Qaddum, in the occupied West Bank, on September 29, 2023, during a demonstration against expropriation of Palestinian land by Israel. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)
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Israeli Troops Kill Hamas Man Who Army Says Attacked Post in West Bank

A protester hurls stones at members of the Israeli forces as they clash in the village of Kfar Qaddum, in the occupied West Bank, on September 29, 2023, during a demonstration against expropriation of Palestinian land by Israel. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)
A protester hurls stones at members of the Israeli forces as they clash in the village of Kfar Qaddum, in the occupied West Bank, on September 29, 2023, during a demonstration against expropriation of Palestinian land by Israel. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)

Israeli soldiers on Friday killed a member of the Hamas group who the army said was among assailants who threw fire bombs at a military post in the occupied West Bank.

The military said the attack on the post was near Psagot, an Israeli settlement.

"Soldiers conducting routine activity at the scene identified the suspects and responded with live fire. Two assailants were neutralized and transferred to receive medical treatment," Reuters quoted the army.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said one of the men later died of his wounds. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip but has strong support in the West Bank as well, claimed the man as a member.

Violence in the West Bank has raged for more than a year, amid stepped-up Israeli military raids, increased settler assaults on Palestinian villages, and a spate of Palestinian attacks on Israelis.



France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.