Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Teen in West Bank
Israeli forces shot dead a 14-year-old Palestinian teen in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said, in an incident that also left three other people wounded and three volunteer paramedics detained.
The Palestinian teen was killed in Burqa, a village north-west of Nablus, late on Monday. The Palestinian health ministry named him as Moutaz Eyad Daghlas.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its teams treated two people with gunshot wounds and took them to hospital, but Israeli forces blocked access to a third wounded person. Troops also detained three volunteer medics who had come to help the wounded.
Palestinian teen killed in Burqa, medics blocked
Local sources said Israeli troops entered Burqa and fired live ammunition at residents, and blocked the village’s main road in both directions. The Red Crescent said one young man was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds to his abdomen and pelvis.
The Palestinian Medical Relief Society, a non-government group, said its crews took another young man to hospital after he was shot in the hand. The health ministry said the General Authority of Civil Affairs had formally notified it of the boy’s death.
Burqa sits in the northern West Bank, an area that has seen repeated raids, settler attacks and clashes in recent years. The village lies close to a highway used by Israeli vehicles, and the Israeli military said its troops had acted in that area.
What the Israeli military said
The Israeli military, asked about the incident, said its soldiers had acted to stop stone-throwing in the area. It said troops had identified several people who intended to hurl stones at a highway used by Israeli vehicles, in a place where stones had recently been thrown at vehicles.
“The soldiers responded by firing towards them in order to remove the threat,” the military said.
Israeli forces have often opened live fire on Palestinians, including minors, who throw stones in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967. Rights groups have long argued that the use of live ammunition against stone-throwers is disproportionate, while the military says its troops face a real threat.
A wider pattern under scrutiny
The killing came on the same day an Al Jazeera investigation broadcast fresh evidence about Israeli soldiers joining attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank while wearing civilian clothes. The Qatar-based network documented the killings of 14 Palestinians by Israeli settlers who were found to be serving soldiers, or who appeared in army uniform during attacks.
The investigation showed soldiers taking part in assaults on Palestinian villages in civilian clothing, which made it hard for residents to tell soldiers from settlers. The findings add to a growing body of evidence about the overlap between the military and the settler movement in the West Bank.
The incident also comes as the wider region tries to hold a fragile calm. A United States-backed Board of Peace has told Israel to act on floods sweeping Gaza, and Pakistan has condemned attacks on Saudi Arabia and backed Riyadh’s security.
What happens next
The Palestinian health ministry and the Red Crescent will keep pressing for access to the wounded and for the release of the detained medics. The Israeli military has not said whether it will open an inquiry into the shooting.
For the people of Burqa, the killing of a 14-year-old will deepen the fear that has settled over the northern West Bank, where raids and clashes have become a regular part of life. President Donald Trump has said the war with Iran is effectively over, and Europe is set to join United States-led talks on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, but the West Bank remains a place where violence can flare without warning. Dawn reported the killing, citing AFP.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the Palestinian boy killed in the West Bank?
Moutaz Eyad Daghlas, aged 14, was killed in Burqa, a village north-west of Nablus, late on Monday, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
What happened to the other wounded people?
The Palestine Red Crescent Society treated two people with gunshot wounds and took them to hospital, but Israeli forces blocked access to a third wounded person.
Why were paramedics detained?
Israeli forces detained three volunteer paramedics who were responding to the clashes in Burqa, the Red Crescent said.
What did the Israeli military say?
It said soldiers acted to stop stone-throwing at a highway used by Israeli vehicles, and fired towards the group to remove the threat.
What did the Al Jazeera investigation find?
It found Israeli soldiers joining settler attacks on Palestinian villages in civilian clothes, and documented 14 killings by settlers who were serving soldiers or appeared in army uniform.
