Three Palestinians, including 4-year-old girl, killed by Israeli soldiers north of Jerusalem

JERUSALEM: A four-year-old girl and a young couple were killed this evening when Israeli occupation forces opened fire on them at the Beit Iksa military checkpoint, located northwest of occupied Jerusalem. Eyewitnesses told WAFA that Israeli occupation forces fired shots towards two vehicles passing through the checkpoint, resulting in the injury of a Palestinian man who was driving his vehicle-under the pretext of attempting to ram his vehicle into the soldiers-accompanied by his wife. Additionally, a four-year-old girl present in another car was also injured. A few minutes later, local sources confirmed the tragic death of the four-year-old girl, Ruqaya Ahmed Odeh Jahaleen, and the young couple, Mohammed Mzayyid Abu Eid and his wife, both hailing from the neighboring town of Biddu. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Israeli occupation forces completely sealed off the checkpoint, preventing the entry or exit of residents into and out of the village. Moreover, they obstructed Palestinian ambulance vehicles f rom transferring the victims to hospital. The deadly incident comes in the context of the relaxed live-fire policies under Israel's most radical government in history, with soldiers and settlers feeling free to open fire on Palestinians with no fear of facing any legal consequences or being held to account. Source: Palestine news and Information Agency – WAFA