A Palestinian teen has been shot dead in the occupied West Bank after allegedly trying to stab an Israeli soldier, raising the death toll of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in recent violence to 179.

The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the death of 17-year-old Na’eem Ahmed Yusef Safi, who was shot by Israeli forces east of Bethlehem on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, two other Palestinian teens had been shot and killed by Israeli forces in the northern part of the occupied West Bank near the town of al-Araqah. The Palestinian Health Ministry identified those two as Nihad Waked and Fuad Waked, both 15 years of age. No Israeli soldier was killed or sustained injuries in the attack that Israelis alleged the pair attempted.

On Saturday, Israeli regime forces killed a Palestinian woman who purportedly tried to stab an Israeli soldier in the West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron).

Since the start of October 2015, at least 179 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in what is regarded as the third Palestinian Intifada (uprising).

Tensions heightened in the Palestinian territories in August 2015, when Israel imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds.

The Palestinians say the Tel Aviv regime seeks to change the status quo of the holy Muslim site.

On Thursday, a UN human rights expert slammed Israel for using excessive force against Palestinian protesters amid ongoing tensions between the two sides in the occupied territories.

Makarim Wibisono, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, said the upsurge in violence was a “grim reminder” of the unsustainable human rights situation in the Palestinian territories.