Three Palestinians killed in West Bank violence

Nablus (West Bank) July 25 (IANS) Three Palestinians were killed and several others wounded Friday in clashes in the West Bank with Israeli soldiers and settlers, officials and witnesses said.

Tarif Ashour, health ministry spokesman in the West Bank, said a young man was shot dead in firing by an Israeli settler south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, Xinhua reported.

Witnesses in the city said that an armed settler opened fire at a Palestinian demonstration that was organised in protest against the ongoing Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, a second Palestinian was killed during another confrontation between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers in the village of Howara, near Nablus, Ashour said.

A third 47-year-old Palestinian from the southern West Bank city of Hebron was also killed by Israeli soldiers' gunfire during protests.

"So, we have three killed altogether in the West Bank and several people wounded by the Israeli settlers and soldiers' gunfire," said Ashour, referring to the clashes in several West Bank areas.