News

Laith Abu Naim, 16, fourth Palestinian minor shot dead by Israeli forces so far in 2018

Laith Abu Naim, 16, is the fourth Palestinian minor to be shot dead by Israeli forces in 2018 to date.

The Palestinian Health Ministry announced this evening that Laith was killed by a shot to the head.

Laith was unarmed. His family says an Israeli soldier shot the boy at a distance of two metres during clashes in their village of Mughayer, northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital in Ramallah.

“The soldiers killed him from a short range. They could have arrested him; they could have injured him; they could have shot his leg,” Laith’s uncle Marzouq Abu Naim told Palestinian media. “But the soldier meant to kill him. The bullet went through his eye and through the back of his head.”

Confrontations broke out today when an Israeli military patrol entered the village of Mughayer. Local teens began throwing stones and Israeli forces fired tear gas and stun grenades.

Mayor Faraj al-Nasan said the soldiers were in military vehicles and there was no threat to their lives when they fired live ammunition.

Laith’s father Haitham Abu Naim called on international institutions to investigate his son’s execution.

“They executed him like any other child,” Haitham said. “The occupation doesn’t differentiate between children and adults. We’re all targeted. Anything that’s Palestinian is targeted.

“He’s not the first one and he won’t be the last one. This has been our life. We’ve been under occupation for 70 years. He isn’t the first child nor the last. Palestine is worth it.”

The three other boys shot dead by Israeli forces this month were also 16 years old and unarmed.

Laith’s death brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces to 18 since President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 6, 2017.

12 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

I paid for it with my US tax dollars; am gathering my documents for paying more as it’s tax season now.

here is a video outside the hospital .. Laith Haitham Abu Naim so sad. all the villagers saying good bye to him https://twitter.com/anniefofani/status/958493446548803584

He is absolutely gorgeous, what a beautiful child. I’m so sorry for his parents, family, and friends, such a terrible loss.

Yet another glorious act of breathtaking courage in defense of the Zio Fatherland by an IDF David against these monstrous Palestinian child Goliaths who are armed to the teeth with existentially threatening pebbles.

Fascism in all its splendid Zionist glory.

… Laith was unarmed. His family says an Israeli soldier shot the boy at a distance of two metres during clashes in their village of Mughayer, northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. …

Once again, a “Jewish State” Occupation, Colonization and Oppression Forces goon operating in not-Israel murders a non-Israeli.

Captain Israel salutes the goon for having the courage to commit the “necessary evil” to prevent a slap.