IDF opens criminal probe into deadly shooting of Palestinian boy

The Military Police have opened a criminal investigation into the death of a Palestinian teenager who was reportedly shot dead by Israeli troops during a riot on Friday.

According to Palestinian reports, Ali Abu Aliya, 13, was shot in the stomach and died of his wounds on Friday afternoon during a violent protest in Kafr Malik in the central West Bank against the establishment of a new settlement nearby.

“The claim that there a Palestinian was killed and others injured is known to the IDF, and in light of the incident, the Military Police’s Investigatory Unit has opened an investigation. Upon completion of it, the findings will be presented to the Military Advocate General for consideration,” the IDF says.

The military says troops used .22-caliber Ruger rounds to break up the riot in Kafr Malik on Friday. These bullets, smaller than normal ones, are often used as riot dispersal weapons as they are generally considered less lethal, though they can and have killed people, especially if used incorrectly.

The Kan broadcaster on Saturday reported that the military was investigating the possibility that the bullet that struck 13-year-old Abu Aliya had in fact been aimed at a different rioter, but missed its mark.

According to the IDF, during the protest in Kafr Malik, rioters threw stones at IDF troops and border guards and rolled boulders and burning tires into a nearby roadway “threatening the lives of travelers.”

— Judah Ari Gross