Israel

Palestinian Toddler Wounded by Israeli Fire

JUN 2 2023·Updated AUG 27

Story

Image credit: Flickr [via Wikimedia Commons]

The Facts

On Friday, Israeli and Palestinian authorities reported that a three-year-old Palestinian boy is in critical condition after being hit by Israeli fire in the West Bank on Thursday.
The Associated Press
Palestinian authorities say that the boy and his father were sitting in a car when they came under fire as part of an Israeli military raid in the village of Nabi Saleh, northwest of Ramallah in the West Bank.
Al Jazeera
The Israeli military, however, claims the two were hit unintentionally after its soldiers returned fire at two armed militants, and has opened an investigation into the incident.
Haaretz
The father was rushed to Ramallah for emergency medical attention while the child was airlifted to an Israeli hospital.
Middle East Monitor
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said that they "regret the injury to noncombatants" and that they "work to prevent such incidents."
Haaretz
The situation in east Jerusalem and the West Bank has steadily deteriorated over the last year, with an Associated Press poll estimating that around 120 Palestinians and at least 21 Israelis have been killed in those two areas this year.
The Associated Press

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Pro-Israel narrative

While tragic, this was purely an accident. Israeli forces were shot at by terrorists and they had to return fire in self-defense. This father and child were sadly caught in the crossfire. There can only be hope for a speedy recovery for both of them.

The Times of Israel

Pro-Palestine narrative

No matter what Israel might say, this was no accident; it was the result of Israel's cruel raids in the occupied West Bank. Peaceful Palestinians and noncombatants are being murdered in their homes — the unlawful execution of Palestinians needs to end.

+972 Magazine