An Israeli border police officer shot dead a 12-year-old Palestinian boy in the Shuafat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem, according to hospital officials and an Israeli police spokesman.
In a video obtained by CNN, the boy, Rami Al Halhouli, can be seen holding a lit firework above his head before the crack of a single gunshot is heard. The boy falls to the ground just as fireworks launch from his hand into the sky.
Rami arrived at Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital's trauma unit in critical condition and was pronounced dead shortly after, hospital officials told CNN.
No security forces are seen in the video of Rami holding the fireworks, but the boy appears to be standing in front of the West Bank separation barrier.
The Israeli police spokesman said police forces responded to a “violent disturbance” at the refugee camp and a border police officer shot “at a suspect who endangered the forces while firing aerial fireworks in their direction.” ”.
The police spokesperson also claimed that on Tuesday night people threw Molotov cocktails and fired fireworks directly at security forces. Israeli police said it was the second night in a row that Palestinians in Shuafat threw Molotov cocktails and fireworks at police forces.
In a Telegram post, Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir applauded the soldier who shot the boy dead.
“I salute the soldier who killed the terrorist who tried to shoot fireworks at him and the troops; this is exactly how one should act against terrorists, with determination and precision,” Ben-Gvir said.
The shooting occurred on the third night of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which has been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in previous years.
Also on Tuesday, Israeli troops shot dead two more Palestinians at the Al-Jib checkpoint on the northern outskirts of Jerusalem, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported.
