Palestinians Say One Dead in Israeli West Bank Raid

 Palestinians remove shattered glass from their apartment that was damaged by the demolition of the apartment upstairs by the Israeli army, that belongs to Palestinian Khaled al-Kharouf, during an overnight army raid in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians remove shattered glass from their apartment that was damaged by the demolition of the apartment upstairs by the Israeli army, that belongs to Palestinian Khaled al-Kharouf, during an overnight army raid in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (AP)
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Palestinians Say One Dead in Israeli West Bank Raid

 Palestinians remove shattered glass from their apartment that was damaged by the demolition of the apartment upstairs by the Israeli army, that belongs to Palestinian Khaled al-Kharouf, during an overnight army raid in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians remove shattered glass from their apartment that was damaged by the demolition of the apartment upstairs by the Israeli army, that belongs to Palestinian Khaled al-Kharouf, during an overnight army raid in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (AP)

Palestinian official media said Israeli troops shot a man dead in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday during a raid to demolish the apartments of two detained Palestinian suspects, while the military reported it had opened fire to quell a riot.

"The occupation soldiers fired bullets and tear gas, killing a young man who was hit in the chest," the Palestinian official news agency, Wafa, reported.

The military said in a statement to AFP: "During the demolition, a violent riot was instigated in the area, during which terrorists hurled rocks at the (Israeli) forces who responded with live fire.

"A hit was identified."

The Israeli troops had stormed Ramallah, seat of the Palestinian Authority, to demolish the apartments of two Palestinians who are in custody on suspicion of carrying out an attack in the city earlier this year.

"Suddenly, they arrived and surrounded the neighborhood and then entered the house," Ahmed al-Barghouthi, brother of one of the detainees, told AFP.

"They told us that the house was going to be destroyed with explosives and ordered us to leave even though I'm ill and we have two elderly people in our family."

The Israeli military identified the two detained suspects whose apartments were targeted for demolition as Khaled al-Kharouf and Aysar Barghouthi.

It said the two men had killed Lara Tannous and Amer Mansour in a "terror attack adjacent to the town of Silwad" on January 7.

Israel routinely demolishes the homes of Palestinians accused of carrying out attacks, arguing that such measures act as a deterrent, while critics say they amount to collective punishment.

Violence has surged in the West Bank since war broke out between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on October 7. At least 619 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian official figures.

During the same period at least 18 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks in the territory, according to Israeli official figures.



Palestinian Prime Minister Says Palestinian Authority Should Run Gaza in Future

Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)
Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)
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Palestinian Prime Minister Says Palestinian Authority Should Run Gaza in Future

Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)
Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said it “will not be acceptable” for any entity other than the Palestinian Authority to run the Gaza Strip in the future.

Mustafa made the comments on Wednesday as he visited Norway, one of three European countries that formally recognized a Palestinian state in May.

Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007, confining the Palestinian Authority’s limited self-rule to parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The US has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood, which the Israeli government opposes.

“While we’re waiting for the ceasefire, it’s important to stress that it will not be acceptable for any entity to govern Gaza Strip but the legitimate Palestinian leadership and the government of the State of Palestine," Mustafa said.

He added that “any attempt to consolidate the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, or creating transitional entities, will be rejected.”

Mustafa stressed that “we should not leave Gaza to vacuum ... We are the government of Palestine, ready to hold our responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as we did before.”