Israeli forces kill seventeen year old as Hebron demonstrates in solidarity with Gaza

Israeli soldiers killed a 17 year old Palestinian youth and injured around 20 others on Friday during a demonstration in the H-2 (Israeli-controlled) Abu Sneineh neighborhood of Hebron.

The Israeli soldiers opened fire on the crowd assembling near the Wasaya Rasol mosque before the demonstration had even begun.  A large barrage of tear gas dispersed some of the people nearest the soldiers, but the demonstrators quickly reassembled. The soldiers retreated up the street as protesters advanced throwing stones.

The death and several injuries occurred in the first half hour of the protest as the soldiers fired rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition in addition to the tear gas. Soldiers fired on the demonstrators from various locations including rooftops.

Mus’ab Da’na arrived at a local hospital in critical condition and died shortly afterwards of bullet wounds to the head. About 20 others were treated for various injuries, hospital officials said, including three shot with live ammunition in the thighs.

The funeral began at Al Hussein mosque with the body then transferred to the Cemetery of the Martyrs in the Haret Al Sheikh neighborhood in Hebron.

This Friday’s demonstration was the second major demonstration in the Abu Sneineh neighborhood following a turnout of 5,000 – 7,000 on the previous Friday.  Many other demonstrations and protests occurred in Hebron this Friday including the entrance to the Old City near the Bab Al-Zawiye neighborhood.  There also, stone throwing youths were attacked with tear gas and rubber coated bullets.