Story highlights
Palestinian-American killed during clashes in West Bank, U.S. State Department says
Israeli military: An "attack was prevented" when a male was shot hurling a Molotov cocktail
Earlier this week a Palestinian man rammed car into commuters in Jerusalem
A Palestinian-American minor has been killed by the Israel Defense Forces, the U.S. State Department said.
According to a press release from the State Department, the youth was killed Friday during clashes in Silwad, a town in the West Bank. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA identified him as Orwa Hammad, 14.
The IDF said an “attack was prevented” when the military fired upon a male hurling a Molotov cocktail on a main road with traffic. The Israeli military declined to comment further on the individual’s identity and health status.
“We call for a speedy and transparent investigation, and will remain closely engaged with the local authorities, who have the lead on this investigation,” said Jen Psaki, spokeswoman for the State Department.
Tensions have remained high in the region after the bodies of three Israeli teenagers were found in the West Bank in June. Reprisal attacks, rocket fire and retaliatory airstrikes followed. Seven weeks of heavy fighting ensued, with more than 2,000 Palestinians killed and 67 deaths on the Israeli side.
On October 19, a kindergarten girl died and another was seriously injured after an Israeli settler ran over them – deliberately, according to the official Palestinian news agency, WAFA – near a village north of the West Bank city of Ramallah. Israeli police say they are investigating.
Then, on Wednesday, a 3-month-old girl was killed and several people wounded when a Palestinian man rammed his car into commuters at a rail stop in Jerusalem. Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld called the incident an apparent “intentioned event” and terror attack.