Tulkarem teenager injured by Israeli fire

A young Palestinian man was shot and seriously injured by Israeli troops near Tulkarem in the northern West Bank Thursday evening. The victim was identified as 18-year-old Hamza Haloub. He was hit by a live gunshot to his lower chest while walking near the Jashouri factories area west of Tulkarem. Haloub was evacuated to Thabit Thabit Hospital where medics said the bullet settled in a sensitive area between the chest and abdomen, but he was in a stable condition. An Israeli army spokeswoman said soldiers fired at two Palestinians hurling firebombs at security forces in the area, and that soldiers opened fire confirming direct hits. She aid the suspects escaped the area. An Israeli security source confirmed reports that one of the Palestinians was hospitalized.