Palestine (Agencies): Israeli forces on Friday shot and killed a Palestinian teenager in occupied West Bank, Wafa news agency reported, citing the Palestinian Health Ministry. Meanwhile, Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by an armor-piercing project fired directly at her head by an Israeli sniper, Palestinian attorney general Akram Al-Khatib said Thursday.
It said 15-year-old Zaid Mohammad Ghuneim was shot in the back and neck in the village of Al-Khader, near the town of Bethlehem. He was rushed to a hospital in critical condition, but succumbed to his wounds.
Local sources said that when the Israeli troops invaded the “Umm Rokba” area in the town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, they were met by local youth who began throwing stones at the soldiers to try to get them to leave their village.
Israeli troops responded with lethal force, shooting live ammunition at the children and teens, killing one, and wounding several others, reported imemc.org.
The killing of the 15-year-old child comes in the midst of an escalation of violence by Israeli forces, who have been invading Palestinian areas on a daily basis and firing live ammunition at unarmed Palestinians during their invasions.
Zaid was a ninth-grade student at Saeed Al-Aas Boys School in Bethlehem. He was the second student from that school to have been killed by Israeli forces in the past two months.
His father said that he was sitting with his son just hours before he was killed by the soldiers and added that Zaid was heading to his grandfather’s home when the soldiers shot him.
The Palestinian Minister of Education, Prof. Marwan Awartani condemned the killing of the student and called on human rights and international institutions defending children to put an end to these continuing Israeli crimes against students and education staff.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and the Foreign Ministry condemned the killing.
Meanwhile, Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by an armor-piercing project fired directly at her head by an Israeli sniper, Palestinian attorney general Akram Al-Khatib said Thursday.
Al-Khatib shared the details based on the Public Prosecution’s report about the killing of the Al Jazeera journalist at a news conference in Ramallah city, reported Anaolu Agency.
“An Israeli sniper directly fired a bullet at Abu Akleh’s head while she was trying to escape, although she was wearing a helmet and a vest that was clearly marked with the word ‘PRESS,'” he said.
Al-Khatib noted that other journalists who were accompanying Abu Akleh were also “deliberately” targeted by gunfire.
He said the bullet that killed the Palestinian journalist had general and specific markings that match a Mini Ruger semi-automatic sniper weapon.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera announced that it will send Abu Akleh’s murder case to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“The Network vows to follow every path to achieve justice for Shireen, and ensure those responsible for her killing are brought to justice and held accountable in all international justice and legal platforms and courts,” it said on its website.
On May 11, Abu Akleh, 51, was covering an Israeli military raid near the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank when she was shot dead.
Seven Palestinian civilians, three of whom were children, were killed by Israeli forces during the month of May. Twenty-two Palestinian civilians were killed in the month of April, and over a thousand were wounded, as Israeli forces targeted Palestinian Muslims celebrating the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. During the holy month of fasting and praying, Israeli forces repeatedly invaded the mosque area and assaulted worshipers.
[Photo: Relatives mourn for 15 year old Palestinian teenager Zaid Muhammad Said Ganim who was shot dead by Israeli forces on May 27, 2022 in Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine. Photojournalist :Hisham KK Abu Shaqra/AA]
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