Palestinian minor martyred by Israeli fire in West Bank

By Qais Abu Samra

BETHLEHEM (AA) – A Palestinian minor was martyred on Monday during clashes with Israeli forces in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to a local medical source.

The 13-year-old minor was shot in the chest in the Dheisheh refugee camp in the southern West Bank and died of his wounds, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has yet to identify the victim.

There was no comment from the Israeli army about the report.

The clashes broke out after Israeli forces raided the refugee camp to arrest Palestinians wanted by Israeli forces, according to local residents.

The Israeli army frequently conducts wide-ranging arrest campaigns in the occupied West Bank on the pretext of searching for "wanted" Palestinians.

Since March, more than 140 Palestinians have been martyred – and thousands more injured – in Palestinian protests in the Gaza Strip against the decades-long Israeli occupation and an 11-year blockade, which has gutted the Gaza economy and deprived its roughly 2 million inhabitants of many basic commodities.