‘They killed his childhood’: West Bank family mourn child killed by Israel

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Mosab ShawerOctober 25, 2025 at 09:06 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Nine-year-old Muhammad al-Hallaq was killed by Israeli forces while playing football with his friends in the Palestinian village of al-Rihiya, south of Hebron, on October 16. His mother, Alia, reported that she received a phone call from her uncle asking if there were any clashes in their area, and when she rushed to the hospital, she was told that Muhammad had been hit by a bullet. Initially, he was said to be injured, but later his condition deteriorated, and he was pronounced dead. The Israeli military initially stated that they were responding to suspects throwing rocks, but an investigation found that the shooting "deviated from the rules of engagement." This incident is part of a larger pattern of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, with 1,001 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces or settlers since October 7, 2023.

Key Topics & Entities

West Bank ×260% Hebron 70% Alia al-Rihiya ×280% Muhammad al-Hallaq ×5100%

Keywords

israeli forces 90% west bank 80% palestinian teen 70% israeli annexation 60% lethal force 50% un human rights office 50% settlers 40% occupied palestinian territory 40%