WASHINGTON, Jan 23, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The United States on Monday demanded
Israel launch an "urgent investigation" into the death of a 17-year-old
Palestinian-American killed by alleged Israeli fire in the West Bank last
week.

Tawfiq Ajaq was shot dead Friday in the town of Al-Mazraa Al-Sharqiya, east
of Ramallah, the Palestinian news agency Wafa and relatives of the young man
said.

"We continue to engage closely with the government of Israel to ascertain as
much information as possible and we have called for an urgent investigation
to determine the circumstance of his death," State Department spokesman
Vedant Patel told reporters.

Patel said he was "devastated" by the death of the teenager, a US citizen,
and reiterated a call for de-escalation.

The United States has "been clear over the tragic escalation in violence in
the West Bank," he said, adding that it was calling "on all parties to avoid
escalations."

Both the US Office of Palestinian Affairs and the US Embassy in Jerusalem
have been in contact with the teenager's family, Patel said.

When asked by AFP, the Israeli army said that an off-duty police officer and
a civilian had fired in the direction of a Palestinian suspected of throwing
stones.

The army added that a solider was additionally in the area and that claims
that he had fired on the teenager were under investigation.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and its troops regularly carry
out incursions into Palestinian communities.

The raids have escalated since the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began
on October 7, increasingly lasting days and accompanied by air strikes.

Since then Israeli troops and settlers have killed more than 360 people in
the West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry.