The Israeli army has shot dead a 13-year-old Palestinian during clashes at a refugee camp near Bethlehem, police and emergency services said. 

Israel restricts Palestinians from entering Old City
Abdel Rahman Abdullah was struck in the chest by Israeli fire at the Aida refugee camp on Monday, the sources said.

He is the second Palestinian teenager killed by Israeli soldiers over just 24 hours as clashes have spread across the territory.

On Sunday night, Hutheifa Suleiman, an 18-year-old Palestinian, was fatally shot by Israeli forces during clashes in the West Bank city of Tulkarm.

Ayed Abu Qtaish, the Palestine director for Defense for Children International, told Al Jazeera that Israeli soldiers had killed Palestinian children before and acted with impunity because they had been given a "green light" by seniors.

"They (Israeli army) want to suppress any action by Palestinians that resists Israeli policies, especially settlement expansion, and the building of the wall," Qtaish said.

"Any protest by the Palestinians will be treated in a tough way...the latest Israeli policies on how to deal with protests gives a green light to Israeli soldiers to kill Palestinians, including children."

West Bank arrests

Clashes have spread after two recent attacks killed four Israelis and wounded a two-year-old child.

Israeli forces said they captured five alleged Hamas members suspected of carrying out last week's killing of a Jewish settler couple in front of their young children.

The suspected attackers and several accomplices were arrested the day after Thursday's West Bank shooting, a joint police, army and Shin Bet statement said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged "a fight to the death against Palestinian terror" and announced new security measures.

Palestinian youths throwing stones have faced off against Israeli forces using both live rounds and rubber bullets.

Jewish settlers have also clashed with Palestinians.

There have been fears that the sporadic violence could spin out of control, with some warning of the risk of a third Palestinian intifada.

PHOTO CAPTION

Israeli soldiers shot and killed, on Monday afternoon, a Palestinian child , near the main entrance of 'Aida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank.

Aljazeera