They’re utilizing US tax {dollars} to ‘kill our personal kids’, says father after Israeli troopers and settlers opened fireplace, killing his 17-year-old son.
Palestinian-American Tawfiq Ajaq, 17, is considered one of 369 individuals killed by Israeli troops and settlers within the occupied West Financial institution since October, together with 95 kids.
Talking at his son’s funeral on Saturday, Tawfiq’s father, Hafez Ajaq, implored People to “see with their very own eyes” the continued violence within the occupied West Financial institution.
“They’re utilizing our tax {dollars} within the US to help the weapons to kill our personal kids,” Hafez Ajaq stated. “What number of fathers and moms need to say goodbye to their kids? What number of extra?
“They’re killer machines,” Tawfiq’s father stated of Israeli forces on the funeral.
Born and raised in Gretna, Louisiana, close to New Orleans, Tawfiq Ajaq’s dad and mom introduced him and his 4 siblings to the village of al-Mazra’a Asharqiya final 12 months so they may reconnect with Palestinian tradition.
Tawfiq Hafez Tawfiq Ajaq, 17, a U.S. citizen, was killed yesterday as an Israeli settler and Israeli forces opened fireplace on his automobile within the occupied West Financial institution. It stays unclear whether or not the settler or a soldier fired the bullet that struck him within the head. https://t.co/KNXxMRoeqj pic.twitter.com/nYEULLlWCM
— Protection for Kids (@DCIPalestine) January 20, 2024
On Saturday, crowds of Palestinians stuffed village streets, following males who held aloft a stretcher with the teenager’s physique, wrapped in a Palestinian flag and lined in flowers.
One other vigil held on the Masjid Omar mosque in Harvey, New Orleans was standing room solely, in line with the New Orleans information outlet NOLA.com.
Circumstances unclear
Ajaq’s relative, Joe Abdel Qaki, stated Tawfiq and a pal had been having a barbecue in a village area when he was shot, as soon as within the head and as soon as within the chest.
Abdel Qaki stated he arrived on the area shortly after the capturing and helped transport Tawfiq to an ambulance. He stated Israeli forces briefly detained him and different Palestinians on the scene, asking for his or her identification playing cards earlier than the lads may get to Tawfiq.
He stated Tawfiq died within the ambulance on the way in which to the hospital.
“Tawfiq is an American youngster who was chased and shot at by an Israeli settler, then Israeli forces pulled up and continued capturing,” Miranda Cleland, an advocacy officer with Protection for Kids Palestine, stated in a publish on X.
“This isn’t the primary time Protection for Kids Palestine hasn’t been in a position to affirm whether or not a settler or soldier killed a baby. One aids and abets the opposite,” Cleland stated.
The US Workplace of Palestinian Affairs referred to as for an “pressing investigation” into Ajaq’s loss of life in a publish on X.
Devastated to listen to concerning the killing of a 17 12 months previous U.S. citizen, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar. We name for an pressing investigation to find out the circumstances of his loss of life.
— U.S. Workplace of Palestinian Affairs (@USPalAffairs) January 20, 2024
Numerous English spellings of the teenager’s title have been utilized in experiences.
In its every day replace for Friday, the United Nations humanitarian company OCHA reported a “17-year-old Palestinian youngster was shot and killed” close to al-Mazra’a Asharqiya village in Ramallah the place Tawfiq Ajaq lived.
“On the time of the incident, Israeli forces and settlers shot stay ammunition in the direction of a gaggle of Palestinians who had been reportedly throwing stones at Israeli autos driving on Street 60 close to the village,” OCHA stated.
“It’s not but clear whether or not the boy was shot by Israeli forces or settlers,” OCHA stated.
Based on OCHA’s newest figures, of 358 Palestinians killed within the occupied West Financial institution since October 7, “348 had been killed by Israeli forces, eight by Israeli settlers, and two by both Israeli forces or settlers”.
Israeli police stated they obtained a report on Friday relating to a “firearm discharge, ostensibly involving an off-duty regulation enforcement officer, a soldier and a civilian”.
Police didn’t determine who fired the shot, although it stated the capturing focused individuals “purportedly engaged in rock-throwing actions alongside Freeway 60″, the primary north-south thoroughfare within the occupied West Financial institution.
The continued violence within the occupied West Financial institution comes because the loss of life toll from Israel’s battle on Gaza approaches 25,000, with 1000’s extra lacking below the rubble.
