Palestinian killed in botched West Bank bombing

NABLUS, West Bank (Reuters) – A Palestinian militant was
killed on Sunday when a grenade he tried to throw at Israeli
troops in the occupied West Bank exploded prematurely,
witnesses and the army said.

They said the 18-year-old member of al-Aqsa Martyrs
Brigades, an armed wing of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’
Fatah faction, attempted to attack soldiers scouring Balata
refugee camp in Nablus for militants.

Three militants were arrested, the army said.

Israeli troops often raid occupied West Bank towns in
search of Palestinian suspected of spearheading a 5-year-old
uprising.

Palestinians say the operations undermine efforts to
maintain a ceasefire declared in February and restart peace
talks. Israel says they are carried out to prevent attacks.