A 17-year-old Palestinian-American was shot to death in the head by Israeli forces in the West Bank on Friday, Palestinian officials said.
The teen, identified as Tawfiq Ajjaq, was born and raised in Gretna, Louisiana, just across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, relatives said.
His parents said they had brought him and his four siblings to live in the Palestinian town of al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya, where he was killed, last year to reconnect with their Palestinian heritage.
WAFA, the official news agency of the Palestinian National Authority, reported that the victim was shot in the head and died.
His family confirmed his death to reporters.
Footage from the teenager’s funeral on Saturday showed hundreds of Palestinian men carrying the teenager’s body through the streets of the village.
Speaking to reporters, the boy’s father, Hassan Zeben, condemned the Israeli war and expressed outrage at its continued impact on Palestinian civilians.
Mourners surround the body of Tawfiq Ajjaq, 17, a Palestinian-American who was shot in the West Bank by Israeli forces on Friday, according to Palestinian officials. REUTERS
“Come here to the field and see what is happening. Come here and try, see with your own eyes what kind of life we lead here, what is the pressure we are put under,” CBS reported.
“How many fathers and mothers have to say goodbye to their children. How many more?”
The State Department confirmed to CBS News that a U.S. citizen had died, but declined to provide additional comment, saying, “We are working to understand the circumstances of the incident and have requested more information from the government of Israel.”
The Post contacted the State Department for additional details but did not receive a response Sunday.
When asked about Friday’s shooting, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the White House was “seriously concerned” by reports of the teenager’s death, but admitted the exact circumstances of the teen’s death were still unknown. They surrounded her.
“Information is scarce at this time; “We don’t have perfect context about exactly what happened here,” Kirby told reporters, promising that U.S. officials would be in “constant contact” with their regional counterparts for additional information.
In a statement on Friday, the Israeli Police Spokesperson’s Unit said: “An incident report was received regarding the discharge of a firearm, apparently involving an off-duty police officer, a soldier and a civilian “CBS said.
The White House said it was “seriously concerned” by reports of the teenager’s death. REUTERS
The gunshot was “directed toward a perceived threat,” which the police statement described as Palestinians throwing rocks from the side of a road.
The Israel Defense Forces told CBS that “the claim that the soldier shot the Palestinian is under review.”
Israel has rejected calls from the United States to reduce its relentless bombardment of Palestinian-controlled territory, which began on October 7 after Hamas launched a surprise missile attack on the country that killed 1,200 Israelis, including many civilians.
Divisions have recently emerged among senior Israeli officials over the direction of the war, which is now in its fourth month.
With post cables
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Source: vtt.edu.vn