By Anees Bargouthi

RAMALLAH, Palestine

A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli forces in Israel-occupied West Bank on Wednesday after he allegedly stabbed an Israeli soldier.

The Israeli military said in a statement Palestinians were throwing stones from a travelling vehicle near the Jewish-only Yitzhar settlement near the West Bank city of Nablus.

According to the statement, Israeli troops chased the stone-throwers when “the vehicle stopped and one of the Palestinians came out of the car and stabbed a soldier in his neck”.

“The soldier then shot the assailant, resulting to his death,” the statement said.

Eyewitnesses, however, confirmed to Anadolu Agency the Israeli army shot the Palestinian while he was sitting inside the vehicle.

Palestinian Health Ministry identified the dead Palestinian as Sari Abu Ghurab, saying he was killed by Israeli forces near Huwara checkpoint in southern West Bank.

According to Palestinian figures, close to 230 Palestinians have been killed since the current uptick in Israeli-Palestinian violence began last October.

Israel, for its part, says 40 Israelis have been killed over the same period.