Palestinian teenager fatally shot by Israeli troops

Jerusalem, May 27 (EFE).- A 14-year-old Palestinian boy died Friday after being shot by Israeli soldiers near the West Bank town of Bethlehem, the Palestinian National Authority Health Ministry said.

The victim, identified as Zaid Mohammad Ghuneim, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital following the incident in the village of Al-Khader, official Palestinian news agency WAFA said.

“Eyewitnesses said Ghuneim was surprised by the presence of Israeli occupation soldiers in the village, and that as he tried to hide in a parking garage, he was targeted by the Israeli soldiers who fired live bullets at him and killed him in cold blood,” WAFA reported.

A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Force (IDF) told Efe that Palestinians began throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at soldiers carrying out “routine security activities” in the area.

The troops went after the attackers, who continued hurling projectiles at the soldiers, “putting their lives in danger,” prompting the IDF members to open fire.

Dozens of Palestinians were hurt earlier Friday during confrontations with the IDF in and around Nablus, where Ghaith Rafiq Yamin, 16, was fatally shot by the Israelis two days ago.

Last Saturday, 17-year-old Amjad Al-Afayed died of gunshot wounds received during an IDF raid in Jenin.

Sixteen Israelis and more than 40 Palestinians have died since the end of March amid heightened tensions coinciding with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the celebrations of the 74th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel.

While the Israeli security forces have detained more than 400 Palestinians as part of Operation “Break the Wave,” aimed at ending a spate of attacks. EFE pd/dr