HEBRON, December 9, 2015 (WAFA) – Israeli soldiers and settlers Wednesday fatally shot a Palestinian youth in Hebron, making him the 118^th Palestinian to be killed since early October, according to security sources.

The sources said Israeli soldiers and settlers opened fire at Yusri Meswadi, 21, after he allegedly stabbed and injured an Israeli soldier and a settler in the Old City neighborhood in downtown Hebron.

Meswadi was left to bleed for some time before he succumbed to his wounds, after Israeli troops banned access of medical teams and ambulance crews to the scene.

Meswadi is the cousin of Ihab Meswadi, a Palestinian who was fatally shot by Israeli troops at the same place last Monday.

He is the 118^th Palestinian to be killed by Israeli fire since the beginning of unrest in the West Bank and Jerusalem in early October 2015. Over 13,000 Palestinians have also been injured.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said 85% of Palestinians who were killed by Israeli troops since the beginning of unrest in early October were “extra-judicially executed”.

PPS said rather than detain Palestinians who are suspected of carrying out attacks on Israeli targets, Israeli soldiers resorted to “direct shooting and killing”. It said most of the fatalities did not even pose a threat to the soldiers’ life.

Some of the victims were also killed in cold blood or for suspicion, while others were left to bleed for a long time before they succumbed to wounds, the commission added.

Shortly after the fatal shooting, clashes erupted between youths and Israeli troops at Baba az-Zawiya neighborhood district in the city. Israeli soldiers used teargas canisters and stun grenades towards the youths, but there were no reports of casualties.

M.N/M.H