Palestinian boy killed by Israeli army gunfire in West Bank

By Qais Abo Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - A Palestinian boy was killed, and several others injured on Monday by Israeli army gunfire in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah.

Mustafa Abu Shalbak, 16, perished after being shot by occupation forces in the neck and chest, the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement.

The boy, from Qalandia refugee camp north of Ramallah, was injured during clashes with the Israeli army near the Amari refugee camp in the city, later he succumbed to injuries, witnesses told Anadolu.

The witnesses also reported that at least three other young Palestinians were injured during the clashes.

Israeli forces raided the Amari camp early Monday, confiscated a vehicle, and raided several homes amid confrontations with dozens of Palestinians, the witnesses added.

An Anadolu photojournalist said an Israeli soldier was shot in the lower limbs during clashes with Palestinian gunmen in the Amari camp before the forces withdrew.

Tensions have been high across the West Bank since a fighting broke out in Gaza on Oct. 7 between Palestinian groups and Israel.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 420 Palestinians have been killed and 4,650 others injured in the West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023.

In parallel, Israel is waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip killing at least 30,534 Palestinians, most of them children and women, in addition to injuring 71,920 others.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio