Palestinian child killed by Israeli gunfire in West Bank

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – A Palestinian minor was killed by Israeli army gunfire on Thursday in the West Bank city of Qalqilya, the Health Ministry said.

A ministry statement identified the victim as Naim Samha, 15.

According to witnesses, Israeli forces raided the city and searched several shops and homes amid clashes with angry residents.

Medical sources said a boy sustained serious gunshot wounds to the chest and was brought to Qalqilya Governmental Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Israeli military has been regularly conducting raids in the West Bank over the past few years, which escalated with the start of the war on Gaza last October. Palestinians have also faced violent attacks from illegal settlers.

At least 550 Palestinians have since been killed and nearly 5,200 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel stands accused of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in its latest ruling has ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its military operation in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio