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Baby daughters of father shot dead during Israeli settler attack held aloft during funeral procession

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The daughters of Odeh Awawdeh, who was shot dead, are just two months old. Picture: REUTERS

By Flaminia Luck

The grieving family of a man allegedly shot dead by Israeli settlers held his twin baby daughters aloft at his funeral procession.

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Odeh Awawdeh, 25, was killed in Deir Dibwan, near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, on Wednesday evening.

His young daughters are said to be just two months old.

Witnesses said he was shot in the back during the raid on the town by settlers, according to the region's health ministry.

The Palestinian health ministry said at least 15 people had been killed by Israeli settlers this year so far.

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One of Mr Awawdeh's baby daughters held aloft. Picture: REUTERS

UN officials said the violence came amid a "growing pattern of unchecked violence by a settler movement that is militarised and shielded by the state".

They said the settlers "entered the village and clashed with residents, with an armed settler shooting and killing Mr Awawdeh."

'Non-stop horror'

Ajith Sunghay, from the UN's human rights office in the region, described the situation as one of "non-stop horror" for Palestinians in the West Bank.

He went on: "The international community must insist on meaningful accountability for the perpetrators of all unlawful killings in the occupied Palestinian territory to stop the bloodshed."

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident.