A 10-year-old Palestinian boy, Muhammad al-Hallaq, was shot and killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank village of al-Rihiya, south of Hebron. Witnesses claim that Muhammad and his friends had been playing football in a schoolyard when they saw Israeli military vehicles approaching. In an attempt to flee the scene, the children ran back towards the village, as is common when faced with the presence of military personnel. According to a local parent, there was no provocation or threat, yet a soldier reportedly opened fire erratically from a vehicle.
The shot struck Muhammad in the pelvis, and he was quickly transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later declared dead. Eyewitnesses and residents of the village assert that the situation was unprovoked. In the aftermath, footage circulated on social media showing a crowd gathering around an ambulance, with Muhammad’s body being transported back to the village. His grieving parents were seen kissing his face before his body was carried away for burial.
Muhammad’s mother shared her heartbreak, recalling how he had spent the day at school and proudly showed off his new backpack. She said that her son had aspirations of becoming a heart doctor and had always excelled in his studies. His tragic death has left the community in mourning and sparked widespread anger.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that their soldiers had opened fire in response to rock-hurling and confrontations with local Palestinians. They confirmed that they had identified hits from the gunfire but reported no injuries to their soldiers. The IDF also said the incident is under review. A preliminary investigation into the matter, however, raised concerns about the soldiers’ conduct, noting that the shooting had deviated from the rules of engagement and was not in line with proper crowd-control measures. This is the second such incident involving the same IDF battalion where the use of force has been criticized.
In another incident, Israeli forces killed a 20-year-old man in Qabatiya, near Jenin, after he allegedly threw an explosive device at soldiers. The ongoing violence in the West Bank has seen more than 200 Palestinians killed this year, with nearly 40 of them being children, according to figures from the UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA). The situation remains tense, as the conflict continues to escalate.
