Palestinians in Hebron region staging massive riots hours after killing

Rioting has been reported in Khan Yunis, Halhul, the Alliance Junction east of Hebron, and Jelzun.

By YASSER OKBI/ MAARIV HASHAVUA
A protester holds a Palestinian flag in front of an IDF bulldozer in the West Bank [File] (photo credit: REUTERS)
A protester holds a Palestinian flag in front of an IDF bulldozer in the West Bank [File]
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Widespread unrest is being reported on Friday evening in the Hebron region hours after Israeli soldiers shot and killed the relative of a former prisoner who was being laid to rest in a nearby village.
Rioting has been reported in Khan Yunis, Halhul, the Alliance Junction east of Hebron, and Jelzun.
The IDF is deploying significant reinforcements to these areas in an effort to quell the disorder. Palestinian sources are reporting that a number of demonstrators were injured in the Al-Aruv refugee camp.
A Palestinian was killed during a clash with the IDF near the West Bank town of Beit Umar, according to Palestinian reports.
According to one report received by the IDF's regional Coordination and Liaison Administration, the Palestinian was killed by an IDF bullet in the course of a violent clash that erupted during a funeral.
IDF sources said a funeral procession for a former Palestinian prisoner who died of natural causes erupted into a large-scale clash, with some 700 rioters hurling rocks and firebombs at army units in the area.
According to Palestinians, the casualty is the cousin of the former inmate.
Soldiers responded by firing 0.22 caliber bullets from a Ruger rifle, which fires weaker shots compared to live fire, according to the sources. Non-lethal crowd control measures were also deployed during the incident.
"The incident is still being checked. We did not use live fire," one army source added.
The clash occurred in the Etzion Sector, near Route 60. "Since the whole event is still ongoing, we need to wait further for more details," a second source said.
Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report.