The Israeli army "expressed sorrow" for the killing of a Palestinian municipality worker in the West Bank city of Nablus and said it has begun an investigation into the incident.
Ahmed al Kouraini, 54, worked for Nablus' electric department and was on his way to work at the emergency fire services building during a curfew when he was stopped by an Israeli tank, the witnesses said.
"There was nothing happening there. They told him to stop, he stopped, they shot in the air and then a soldier shot him in the head, one bullet," said Yousef al Jadi, head of the Nablus Fire Department.
Al Kouraini died before reaching Itihad hospital, medical officials said.
Israeli military officials said soldiers asked Kouraini to stop his vehicle. The soldiers then carried out "the proper steps for detaining a suspect," including shooting in the air, the officials added.
"The soldiers opened fire and as a result of the gunfire the truck driver was killed. The army has opened an investigation into the incident and if it is discovered that the force did not act properly, disciplinary action will be taken against the soldiers. The army expresses sorrow over the incident," the Israeli officials said.
In Gaza Strip, Israeli troops killed a Palestinian man who was trying to infiltrate into Israel from the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday. Soldiers spotted the man carrying hand grenades and a Kalashnikov rifle near the security fence close to kibbutz Nir Am and fired at him. The grenades the man was carrying exploded, killing him instantaneously, Israel Radio reported.
Earlier, Israeli tanks shelled houses in the city town of Khan Yunis, injuring eight Palestinians, including four children, medical sources said.
Three more Palestinians died in the Gaza Strip overnight. A teenager who sustained serious head injuries two days ago following clashes with the Israeli army, and a 23-year-old who was wounded during an Israeli incursion into Beit Lahia the same day, died on Saturday morning in Gaza City, the sources said.
The Israeli air raid which targeted Salah Shehadeh, the military leader of Hamas also claimed a 16th victim late Friday, when Khader al-Saidi, 67, died of his wounds.
Elsewhere, an Israeli woman, who was critically injured in a July 31 bombing of a cafeteria at Jerusalem's Hebrew University, died of her wounds on Saturday. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
