Israel admits shooting, killing Palestinian child in West Bank

The Israeli occupation army yesterday admitted its soldiers had killed a 12-year-old Palestinian boy in a town near Jenin, in the northern occupied West Bank, under the pretext that the child had attempted to throw an explosive device at the soldiers, Anadolu reported, citing a post on the Israeli Defence Forces’ official account on X.

However, Defence for Children International – Palestine (DCIP) reported that Mahmoud Abu Al-Haija was shot in the abdomen by Israeli occupation forces who opened fire indiscriminately around 2:40pm in the Al-Thahra cemetery in the southern part of the Palestinian town of Al-Yamoun.

They were allegedly throwing stones toward Israeli soldiers deployed around the cemetery while other soldiers raided a residential building nearby. A second child was injured when Israeli occupation forces opened fire, sustaining shrapnel injuries to the chest and face.

Israeli occupation forces have killed 23 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank in 2025, according to documentation collected by DCIP.

Mahmoud’s death brings to 40 the number of Palestinian killed in Jenin since Israel launched its military offensive in the city more than 90 days ago.

In 2024, Israeli forces and settlers killed at least 93 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank.

READ: Israel continues relentless assault on Jenin for 93rd consecutive day