JERUSALEM, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Israeli soldiers opened fire at Palestinian protesters who pledged solidarity with hunger-striking prisoners outside a military facility in the West Bank on Friday, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed to Xinhua.
About 300 Palestinian protesters gathered at checkpoint Beitunia, which is near Ramallah and not far from the Ofer Israeli military jail where Palestinian prisoners are held.
Israeli media reported that as the protest heated, 19 Palestinians were injured by Israeli military's protest-dispersing measures, 15 of whom were hit by rubber bullets and another four suffered from tear gas inhalation.
However, the Palestinians claimed that over 100 were injured, mainly light injuries but one of them was seriously wounded by live ammunition.
IDF later confirmed that live ammunition was used during the dispersal of the demonstration. "The army unit found itself surrounded by a Palestinian mob throwing stones, and opened fire after feeling danger," the IDF spokesman said in a statement.
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