In a volatile turn of events in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, a 14-year-old Palestinian boy named Moataz Daghlas was shot dead by Israeli forces during an operation in the occupied West Bank on Monday evening. The incident occurred in the village of Burqa, northwest of Nablus, as reported by the Palestinian health ministry. According to the Israeli military, soldiers opened fire on individuals who were allegedly planning to throw stones at a road frequently used by Israelis. Citing increased discretion in rules of engagement following the deadly Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023, the Israeli forces claimed they fired to eliminate the perceived threat.
The Palestinian Red Crescent stated that their teams treated two individuals with gunshot wounds but were unable to reach a third injured person due to Israeli troops' blockage and detention of three volunteer paramedics. Relatives of Moataz Daghlas accused Israeli authorities of withholding his body. The UN has reported at least 98 Palestinian deaths, including 22 children, by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since the beginning of the year. Six Israelis, both security personnel and civilians, have also been killed by Palestinians during the same period, according to the UN.
The killing of Moataz Daghlas adds to the 241 Palestinian children allegedly killed by Israeli security forces and settlers in the West Bank since June, as per the UN Human Rights Office in the occupied Palestinian territory. The UN office found that most of these children were teenage boys and that Israeli authorities often accused them of stone-throwing. However, the UN office assessed that none of the children killed while engaged in confrontations with Israeli forces posed an imminent threat to life, which is the only legal justification for lethal force under international law in the West Bank.