Boy, 13, Dies of Wounds Inflicted by Israeli Fire

A 13-year-old Palestinian boy who was shot in the head and chest by Israeli soldiers died of his wounds Saturday, Palestinian officials said.

Ahmad Khateep was wounded Thursday during an Israeli army raid to detain suspected Palestinian militants in the West Bank’s Jenin refugee camp.

The Israeli army said soldiers had come under fire from Palestinian gunmen and returned fire, hitting the boy, who they said was later discovered to have been holding a toy weapon.

The army said that it regretted the incident.

After his death in an Israeli hospital, Ahmad’s body was transferred to Jenin, Palestinian medics and a Palestinian security source said.

The boy’s father, Ismail, told Israeli television before the body was moved that his family had decided to donate Ahmad’s organs to Israeli children who needed them.

“We want to send a message of peace to Israeli society, to the Defense Ministry and the Israeli parliament,” he said. “They [Israeli forces] killed my son, who was healthy, and we want to give his organs to those who need them.”