JERUSALEM, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Israel's military said Thursday that the body of an Israeli teen withheld by Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank had been returned.
An army spokesperson said in a statement that the body of Tiran Fero, a 17-year-old boy who was part of Israel's Druze Arab minority, was transferred to his family in Israel.
The move followed "the efforts of the security forces and in coordination with the Palestinian security forces and authorities," the statement read.
Husam Fero, Tiran's father, told N12 TV news that his son went with his cousin to a car shop in Jenin, a flashpoint city in the northern West Bank on Tuesday. The two had a car accident and were rushed to a local hospital.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz thanked the Palestinian Authority "for taking action" to return Fero, saying "this is a basic, humanitarian measure taken after a horrific incident."
Since March, Israeli forces have carried out frequent nightly raids in the West Bank, which often spark clashes that cost the lives of at least 130 Palestinians.
Israel says the raids are aimed at arresting suspects in connection with a series of attacks against Israelis, which claimed the lives of 29 people.
In the 1967 Middle East war, Israel occupied the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, all claimed by the Palestinians, and has controlled or blockaded these areas ever since. ■
