The Israeli forces indicated that they accidentally shot an American activist in the leg during a protest in the West Bank earlier today.

An Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson stated that the troops "used riot dispersal means and fired live ammunition into the air to disperse" a "gathering" in the Beta area.

The army's statement said: "Shortly after, a report was received regarding a foreign national who was accidentally injured by riot dispersal means and was evacuated to the hospital."

The statement clarified that the activist, who is named Amadou Cissone, is from New Jersey and traveled to the West Bank earlier this week.

Cissone, who was shot in the right thigh, is in stable condition at a hospital in Nablus.

For his part, the American citizen stated that he was shot in the leg by Israeli occupation forces during a protest against settlement expansion in the West Bank.

The Israeli forces said they are investigating the claim.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society confirmed in a statement that its teams treated "a 40-year-old foreign activist who was shot in the thigh with live ammunition during clashes with occupation forces" in the town of Beta in the West Bank.

The activist stated that he joined the march to help defend the Palestinians.

He explained to Agence France-Presse from his hospital bed in the city of Nablus in northern West Bank: "There was a demonstration and we were there to film, to make sure we were monitoring the occupation army (Israeli)."

"At one point we ran away... and they shot me in the leg."

He added that the Israeli forces "fired tear gas and live ammunition at us." When the Israeli forces approached the protesters, "we ran into the olive groves and when I fled, they shot at us and my leg was hit."