Israel troops kill Palestinian protester

JERUSALEM -- Israeli troops shot to death a Palestinian man Tuesday after he and others hurled rocks and firebombs at them in the West Bank, the military said.

The death was the latest in a new uptick in Palestinian casualties in the area, where protests in support of prisoners held in Israeli jails have led to violent clashes between the protesters and Israeli forces. The protests have largely subsided.

Yatta hospital director Ziyad Abu Zahra identified the man killed as 25-year-old Mahmoud Titi and said he was shot in the head. An Associated Press photographer said the man was among dozens throwing rocks at Israeli troops near the city of Hebron.

A military spokeswoman said troops pursued the men suspected of lobbing the firebombs. She said the protesters hurled rocks at them and "sensing an imminent danger to their lives, the soldiers fired toward the assaulters, identifying a hit."

Palestinians have increasingly complained in recent weeks of the use of live fire by Israeli troops.

The military says it typically uses non-lethal means such as tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protests or riots and that it only uses live fire in situations it considers life-threatening.