Israeli troops kill 3 Palestinian teenagers in West Bank

Three Palestinians teenagers were killed by Israeli troops on Sunday in two separate incidents in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

According to the Israeli military, troops shot two Palestinians dead near the northern West Bank city of Jenin after the former had come under fire after responding to reports of rock-throwing by Palestinian youths.

The same day, the Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the death of three Palestinian teens -- Raed Mohamed Waked and Fuad Khaled Waked, both 15, and Naim Ahmad Safi, 17.

Israeli police claimed Safi had been shot at an army checkpoint near Bethlehem after he had attacked police with a knife.

According to Palestinian Health Ministry figures, 174 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 1 of last year, mostly after alleged attacks on Israelis or during the violent dispersal of protests.

Israel's Foreign Ministry, for its part, says that, over the same period, 30 Israelis and foreigners have been killed in attacks carried out by Palestinians.