Daijiworld Media Network - Hebron
Hebron, Dec 7: A Palestinian teenager and a bystander were shot dead when Israeli soldiers opened fire at a vehicle near a checkpoint in Hebron city of the occupied West Bank on Saturday.
According to the Israeli military, the 17-year-old driver allegedly accelerated his vehicle towards soldiers stationed at the checkpoint, prompting them to retaliate. In the incident, an “uninvolved person” was also fatally hit by the gunfire.
Later, an Israeli security official confirmed that the victims included a 17-year-old youth and a 55-year-old Palestinian street cleaner who was present at the location during the shooting.
The Palestinian state news agency WAFA identified the bystander as Ziad Naim Abu Dawood, a municipal worker who was carrying out his duties. The Palestinian health ministry named the teenager as Ahmed Khalil Al-Rajabi.
No Israeli soldiers were injured in the incident. The motive behind the teen’s action remains unclear, and no militant outfit has taken responsibility.
The shooting comes amid escalating violence across the West Bank this year. Palestinian authorities state that 51 minors have been killed by Israeli forces since January. Meanwhile, attacks targeting Israeli soldiers and civilians have also increased, further deepening the unrest.
As tensions continue to surge, calls for restraint and protection of civilian lives are being echoed by global human rights groups.