Israel army gunfire injures three Palestinian youths near Nablus

Israeli army gunfire injured three Palestinian youths at the Huwwara checkpoint near Nablus city in the occupied West Bank on Thursday evening.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said it treated two people wounded by live rounds in their legs, who were taken to Rafidia hospital, The New Arab's Arabic sister service, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, reported.

A third wounded Palestinian was detained by Israeli forces and later taken for treatment in an Israeli ambulance after the army refused to turn him over to a Palestinian crew.

He was seriously injured in the neck, official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

Israeli soldiers fired heavily at Palestinian youths from a watchtower, wounding them all, activist Mohammed Radwan told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

PRCS Nablus emergency department director Ahmad Jibril said the troops targeted a vehicle carrying the three men, Wafa reported.

The Israeli army shut the checkpoint in both directions and prevented Palestinian paramedics reaching the injured, before handing over two of the wounded, while the third was detained.

The Israeli military claimed that its attack was in response to shooting directed at its soldiers at the checkpoint.

It comes as Israeli troops arrested "at least five" other Palestinians in the West Bank, including three from areas near Nablus, overnight on Friday, Wafa reported citing local and security sources.