15-year-old Palestinian boy killed in Israeli army operation - ministry

A 15-year-old boy was killed in an Israeli military operation in the West Bank on Monday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The boy suffered gunshot wounds to the head, chest and abdomen in the incident that occurred at a refugee camp near Jericho, the ministry said.

The Israeli army initially only confirmed that Israeli troops had been on a mission in the camp.

The death comes as tensions soar in the region. The Israeli army is deployed almost daily in the occupied West Bank.

So far, 93 Palestinians have been killed in confrontations with the Israeli army or in their own attacks since the start of the year, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

During the period, 16 Israelis, one Italian and one Ukrainian were killed in attacks.

Israel took control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. Today, more than 600,000 Israeli settlers live there. The Palestinians claim the territories for an independent state of Palestine with the Arab-dominated eastern part of Jerusalem as its capital.