Palestinian boy killed by Israeli troops

Israeli troops mistakenly killed a Palestinian bystander while responding with gunfire to a petrol bomb and rock attack on Israeli vehicles in the occupied West Bank, the military said.

An earlier statement from the military had identified the Palestinian as an assailant. The mayor of his village said he was 15 years old.

The military said several Palestinians threw petrol bombs and stones at vehicles, injuring three civilians, on a highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem that traverses the West Bank.

Israeli media reports said two of those hurt were foreign tourists.

Troops chased the stonethrowers and “after an initial inquiry, it appears that uninvolved bystanders were mistakenly hit during the pursuit”, a military spokeswoman said, identifying one of them as the Palestinian killed in the incident.

She said the military had opened an investigation.

Over the past eight months, Palestinian attacks have killed 32 Israelis and two visiting US citizens.

Israeli forces have shot dead at least 197 Palestinians, 134 of whom Israel has said were assailants.

Others were killed in clashes and protests.