Palestinian man shot dead by Israeli forces for 'throwing firebombs'

Witnesses reported seeing the young man lying on the ground bleeding to death after sustaining critical wounds from Israeli military gunfire close to the checkpoint. 

Palestinian media identified the man as 28-year-old Samir Ahmed Hamidi. The Israeli army said it also opened fire at two other Palestinian men who were also allegedly throwing firebombs at troops, but escaped.

Israeli forces arrived at his home in the northern West Bank after his killing, Haaretz reported. Hamidi's body remains with Israeli forces, according to Palestinian media. 

Israeli military spokesman said forces were "conducting routine activity" near the settlement of Einav, where they saw three men who "threw firebombs".

The spokesman confirmed that "the forces responded with [live] fire" hitting one of the men. The statement added that no Israeli troops were injured.

Israel has been criticised for its use of lethal force and "extrajudicial killings" of Palestinians, with rights groups saying there exists a "culture of impunity" among Israeli military forces. 

Hamidi is 34th Palestinian killed this year by Israeli forces, according to Ma’an news agency.

"In 2019, Israeli security forces killed 133 Palestinians, including 28 minors," Human Rights group B'tselem reported. "Of the casualties, 104 were killed in the Gaza Strip, 26 in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and three within Israel.

"Most of these deaths were a direct outcome of Israel's reckless open-fire policy, authorised by the government and military and backed by the legal system," the group added.

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