Representative image (Picture credit: AP)
A 14-year-old Palestinian-American boy was shot and killed by Israeli forces during an incident in the West Bank town of Turmus Ayya on Sunday, Palestinian officials said, with Israeli authorities claiming he was among a group of “terrorists” hurling rocks at cars on a nearby highway.
According to the town’s mayor, Adeeb Lafi, the teenager,
Omar Muhammad Saadeh Rabee
, was shot at the town’s entrance along with two other teens.
Mayor Lafi told Reuters the Israeli army later declared Omar dead after detaining him.
As per AFP, the
Palestinian Red Crescent
confirmed its teams transported the teenager’s body to hospital and reported that two other boys were also wounded, one in the abdomen and the other in the thigh. Both were 14 years old, and one of them, Ayoub Asaad, also holds US citizenship, his father told AFP.
The Israeli military issued a statement saying soldiers opened fire after spotting “three terrorists who hurled rocks toward the highway, thus endangering civilians driving.” It said one of the suspects was “eliminated” and two others were wounded.
However, the Palestinian foreign ministry strongly condemned the incident, describing it as an “extra-judicial killing” and accusing Israel of “continued impunity.” The ministry further criticised the use of
live fire against children
, saying Israel’s actions encouraged “further crimes.”
Violence in the occupied West Bank has intensified since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023.
According to Palestinian health authorities, at least 918 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers since then, including militants. Meanwhile, Israeli sources say 33 Israelis, including soldiers, have died during raids and attacks in the same period.
The town of Turmus Ayya, northeast of Ramallah, is known for its large community of dual Palestinian-American citizens. Witness accounts, such as that of Abdul Rahman Shehadeh, one of the injured teens, contradicted the Israeli military’s version.
He told AFP he was collecting fruit when he was shot by a soldier.
The father of Ayoub Asaad also claimed their ambulance was delayed at a checkpoint, and that a soldier told him he was the one who shot the three boys.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and clashes between settlers, armed Palestinians, and Israeli forces have grown more frequent, especially since the escalation in Gaza.