Palestinians say Israel holding bodies of teens killed in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces are holding the bodies of two Palestinian teenagers shot dead near an illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank.

The Ramallah-based General Authority of Civil Affairs, which is affiliated with the Palestinian Authority, said the bodies were with Israeli authorities.

The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, identified the two killed as Reda Sami Awad, 15, and Arafat Ismail Awad, 19.

“Israeli forces are holding their bodies,” Wafa said.

Israel’s military said the killings occurred during a “counterterrorism operation”