The death of the child Rayan Suleiman (7 years) sparked widespread anger in the occupied Palestinian territories, after the Ministry of Health confirmed that he had died of a heart attack after the occupation army stormed his family’s home south of Bethlehem, and the United States called for a comprehensive and immediate investigation into the circumstances of his death, according to “Al Jazeera.” “.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that the medical teams were unable to revive the child, who was transferred to Beit Jala Governmental Hospital, and his body will be buried today after Friday prayers.
According to Rayan’s family, soldiers of the occupation forces stormed their house in the town of Tekoa yesterday, Thursday, to arrest his two children, accused of throwing stones at the occupation soldiers.
The child was returning from school with other students in the town when the occupation forces started chasing them.
His father, Yasser, said – in a video clip that spread on social media – that one of the soldiers kept running after Rayan until the child died “of fear.”
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the actions of the occupation forces, and said that what happened was a “heinous crime” committed by Israel.
On the other hand, Archyde.com quoted an Israeli military spokesman as saying that the forces were in the vicinity at the time to search for Palestinians suspected of fleeing to the town after throwing stones at motorists.
He said that the preliminary investigation shows that there is no connection between the search operations conducted by the Israeli army in the area and the tragic death of the child, as he put it. “Details of the accident are under review,” he added.
Palestinian residents of the area denied that stones were thrown at that time.
In Washington, State Department deputy spokesman Vidant Patel said the United States was “deeply saddened to learn of the death of an innocent Palestinian child.”
“We support a comprehensive and immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death,” he added.
Patel reiterated a call for calm in the West Bank made by Washington on Wednesday, before Ryan’s death.