Drop in number of Palestinians killed in hostile actions in 2005

[Behind the Aegis]

The number of Palestinians and Israelis killed in hostile actions dropped considerably in 2005, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, B'tselem, reported on Wednesday.

Some 197 Palestinians and 50 Israelis were killed in 2005, down from 803 Palestinians and 107 Israelis killed in the previous year.

The human rights center said 73 of the Palestinians killed this year were killed in clashes withIsraeli security forces while 22 were killed in targeted killings.

Another 96 of the fatalities were not directly involved in fighting and seven others were bystanders during targeted killings.

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