By Esat Firat

JERUSALEM (AA): A Palestinian child was shot dead Friday by Israeli forces during an anti-settlement demonstration in the occupied West Bank, according to a written statement by the Palestinian Health Ministry on Friday. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian homes Friday in the town of Surif, near the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, causing financial damage.

The ministry statement said the child victim was heavily injured by Israeli soldiers while Palestinians were protesting against illegal Jewish settlements in Nablus city in the occupied West Bank, with a live round.

It said the 13-year-old child was rushed into Rafidia Governmental Hospital in Nablus, adding that despite all medical interventions the child had “fallen a martyr.”

Palestinians held demonstrations in the afternoon to protest the expansion of Jewish settlements around Nablus, according to local sources.

The head of the Emergency Unit at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Nablus Ahmad Jibril told Anadolu Agency that Israeli soldiers intervened Palestinian protesters in the Deer al-Hatab town of Nablus city with live bullets.

According to the Israeli and Palestinian estimates, there are about 650,000 settlers in West Bank settlements, including occupied Jerusalem, who live in 164 settlements and 116 outposts.

Meanwhile, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian homes Friday in the town of Surif, near the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, causing financial damage.

Surif Mayor Iyad Hamidad told Anadolu Agency that Jewish settlers attacked houses in northern Hebron by hurling stones and opening fire.

Hamidad said there were no casualties.

He also said Jewish settlers burned a hut used for agriculture and attacked farmers harvesting olives in Halhul.

45 olive trees cut down

An official in charge of the settlement file in the northern West Bank affiliated with the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) said in a statement that 45 olive trees were cut down in the Burin town of Nablus and there was Yitzhar settlement near the area where the incident took place.

Ghassan Daghlas noted Jewish settlers stole the olive harvest in Kafr Qaddum in Qalqilya province.

Attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinians

Jewish settlers in occupied Palestinian territories frequently cut down or set fire to olive trees, the main source of income for Palestinian farmers in the West Bank.

Settlers attack farmers, especially during the olive harvest season.

There are more than 250 illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which Israel occupied in 1967.

Nearly 450,000 settlers living in those areas make life more difficult for Palestinians living under occupation in the West Bank.

According to international law, all Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal.

* Writing by Seda Sevencan

[Photo: Suleiman al-Hazalin, living in Umm al-Khair village of Hebron, resisting Israeli forces in West Bank demonstrating against Jewish settlements on 17 July. , continues his resistance. Photographer: Mamoun Wazwaz AA]