Twenty-six Palestinians were injured today, at least six of them seriously, in fighting with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on another "day of rage."
Near Ramallah in the West Bank, a gunfight erupted between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli soldiers posted on the northern edge of the city, witnesses said.
The Israeli army also fired heavy weapons towards the Palestinian gunmen, witnesses added.
After the gunfight, the Israeli troops continued to fire live ammunition at Palestinians and shot three, wounding two of them seriously, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.
The gunfight broke out after Israeli soldiers had fired rubber-coated steel bullets, injuring nine people, medical officials said.
Since the start of the nearly five-month wave of violence, Palestinian groups have declared Fridays to be a "day of rage," holding demonstrations that often lead to clashes with the Israeli army.
In the northern West Bank town of Nablus, some 2,000 Palestinians from various political groups marched, denouncing Israel and expressing support for Ala Khalil Abu Olba, a Palestinian bus driver who ran down a group of Israelis on Wednesday, killing eight of them.
Earlier today, a Palestinian intelligence officer was found dead in his home near Nablus under circumstances that are still not clear, witnesses said.
The death toll has climbed to 413 since the start of the Palestinian uprising or intifada on September 28th.
AFP