A number of Israeli soldiers attacked on Tuesday [October 22, 2013] a Palestinian child at one of the military roadblocks in the Old City of Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank. The child lost consciousness and was moved to a local hospital.Medical sources said that Red Crescent medics provided the child, Hamdan Mohammad Sha’abna, 15, with the urgently needed first aid, and moved him to the Hebron Governmental Hospital in the city.
The child suffered concussion due to being repeatedly hit and punched in the head, and suffered internal bleeding as the soldiers also kicked him in his abdomen, in addition to kicking and punching him in the arms and legs, the Radio Bethlehem 2000 has reported.
His mother said that as she and her child were trying to cross a military roadblock in Bab Az-Zaweya area, two Israeli soldiers stopped them and asked the child to show them his ID card. The child said he does not have one, as ID cards are issued at age 16.
The soldiers then forced the child against a wall before a soldier kicked him in the legs and continued to punch him and hit him with his rifle on his abdomen, followed by several blows to the head; the child fell unconscious, barely breathing.
Medical sources at the Hebron Hospital said that the child is currently in a stable condition, and that he will remain hospitalized for further checkups to ensure full recovery, and to ensure the violent beating did not lead to serious damage to his organs.
In related news, a number of extremist Israeli settlers illegally occupied a Palestinian home at the entrance of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.
Local sources have reported that the settlers moved furniture and supplies into the building, and added that the location of the property is very important as it next to the road the Palestinians take to enter the mosque.
Residents expressed fear that, should the settlers turn the property into an outpost, Muslim worshipers heading to the mosque will be subject to ongoing assaults.
