Palestinian Shot in Clashes with Israeli Forces Dies from Wounds

A Palestinian wounded during clashes with Israeli soldiers escorting Jewish pilgrims at a holy site in the occupied West Bank died from his injuries on Monday, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Jamal Dweikat, 20, was shot in the head on Friday near Joseph's Tomb on the outskirts of Nablus. The tomb is the site of regular clashes.

Many Jews believe the tomb holds the remains of the biblical patriarch Joseph, one of the 12 sons of Jacob. Palestinians believe an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yussef (Joseph) Dweikat, was buried there two centuries ago.

It is located in the northern West Bank in an area under Palestinian security control.

Once per month, the Israeli army authorizes visits to the tomb by Jewish pilgrims, carried out at night. Hundreds visited overnight Thursday to Friday, provoking another round of clashes.

Violence since October has killed 207 Palestinians, 28 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese.

Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities.

Others were killed in clashes or by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip.