HEBRON (West Bank) -In the occupied West Bank village of Halhoul, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian soldier on Thursday.

According to the Israeli military, forces engaged in counterterrorism operations near Hebron. The army said that it used riot dispersal and live fire to deal with the dozens of Palestinians who hurled stones and other explosives at soldiers.

Witnesses claimed that the Israeli army invaded Halhoul, sealing off the currency exchange bureau. This led to clashes between residents and the soldiers who were thrown rocks at them.

According to the Palestinian foreign ministry, the murder of the father-of-seven-years-old was an Israeli execution. The Palestinians urged international protection.

The violence in the territories where Palestinians want statehood continues to simmer since 2014, when U.S. peace talks were stopped. Since January violence has flared up again, with Israeli attacks on Palestinians killing at least 47 people and Arab street attacks killing 19 in Israel and West Bank.