Palestinian hospital officials say Israeli soldiers have shot a young Palestinian boy in the northern West Bank town of Jenin.
Hospital officials say a bullet struck the boy in the head Thursday when Israeli soldiers fired on a group of Palestinians throwing rocks at them. Associated Press reports the boy has been put on life support.
Residents say the Israeli soldiers were in the town pursuing an Islamic Jihad fugitive.
Meanwhile, Hamas militants who had threatened not to renew a de facto truce with Israel when it expires at the end of this year backed off Thursday, saying they would extend it if Israel stops its "aggression" and releases Palestinian prisoners.
Mahmoud Zahar, a Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip said the Palestinian Authority must also hold parliamentary elections as scheduled in January and reform what he called its corrupt government.
Some information for this report provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.