Army Probe Debunks Claim Israel Behind 7-Year-Old Palestinian’s Death

The US has called for an investigation into the death of seven-year-old Palestinian Rayan
AFP

Israel’s military on Thursday announced its probe into the death of a 7-year-old Palestinian during an operation last week found no connection with IDF troops, despite a Palestinian claim to the contrary.

There were two different causes of death circulating among the Palestinians, but both held Israel to blame.

The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry said Rian Suleiman fell from a height after he was chased by soldiers in the West Bank.

Rian’s father and uncle said however the boy had suffered a heart attack after he saw Israeli soldiers came to his front door looking for stone throwers. “He died of fear on the spot,” he told AP last week, and noted his son had not had any pre-existing health issues.

The U.S. State Department called for “an immediate and thorough investigation” shortly after the boy’s death.

An IDF commander had stopped at Suleiman’s home asking to question him after he saw him in the window, and according to an IDF statement,  held “a short conversation in a respectful manner, without any contact and certainly without the use of verbal or physical violence.”

As the soldiers left the village, they noticed a car drive by with the father inside and a child on his lap, the army said.

Relatives mourn as they attend the funeral of a 7-year-old Palestinian child Rian Suleiman who died while being chased by Israeli forces, at the town of Tuqu near Bethlehem, West Bank on September 30, 2022. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

“The investigation shows that during the entire time that the force was in the village, no force or means of combat of any kind were used at all,” the IDF said.

“Any connection between the unfortunate death of the boy Rayan Suleiman and the operation of the force has been ruled out,” the military added.

 

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.