Israeli Forces Kill Two Palestinians in Separate Events

 Palestinian relatives of 16 years old of Abdullah Ghaith mourn over his death at al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron on May 31, 2019. - AFP
Palestinian relatives of 16 years old of Abdullah Ghaith mourn over his death at al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron on May 31, 2019. - AFP
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Israeli Forces Kill Two Palestinians in Separate Events

 Palestinian relatives of 16 years old of Abdullah Ghaith mourn over his death at al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron on May 31, 2019. - AFP
Palestinian relatives of 16 years old of Abdullah Ghaith mourn over his death at al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron on May 31, 2019. - AFP

Israeli forces killed a 16-year-old Palestinian near the West Bank separation barrier on Friday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

Abdullah Ghaith was killed near the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the Ministry stated, adding that another 21-year-old Palestinian was wounded by a live bullet to the stomach.

Israeli police said that the Palestinian teenager was shot while attempting to climb over the heavily guarded separation barrier from Bethlehem into Jerusalem, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

A probe was launched into the incident, according to Israeli officials.

Louai Ghaith, the boy's father, said his son had been trying to enter Jerusalem to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque for the holy day.

"He was going to fulfill his religious duty, he was going to worship," Ghaith said. "They killed him... with a bullet to his heart, like a game, and 16 years I've been raising him."

Meanwhile, Israeli police also shot dead a 19-year-old Palestinian, saying he is suspected of carrying out two stabbings near Damascus Gate.

The Palestinian was shot by security forces while running through the Old City's Muslim quarter, Israeli police claimed.

According to AP, the Palestinian Health Ministry identified the teen as Yousef Wajih, from a village near the West Bank city of Ramallah.



At Least 15 Killed in Suicide Bombing at Damascus Church

A Syrian man reacts inside Mar Elias church where a suicide bomber detonated himself in Dweila in the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Sunday June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
A Syrian man reacts inside Mar Elias church where a suicide bomber detonated himself in Dweila in the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Sunday June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
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At Least 15 Killed in Suicide Bombing at Damascus Church

A Syrian man reacts inside Mar Elias church where a suicide bomber detonated himself in Dweila in the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Sunday June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
A Syrian man reacts inside Mar Elias church where a suicide bomber detonated himself in Dweila in the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Sunday June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

At least 15 people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Syria's capital Damascus on Sunday, security sources said.

Syria's interior ministry said the suicide bomber was an ISIS member. He entered the church, opened fire and then detonated his explosive vest, the ministry added in a statement.

A security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said two men were involved in the attack, including the one who blew himself up.

Syria's state news agency cited the health ministry as putting the preliminary casualty toll at nine dead and 13 injured.

Some local media reported that children were among the casualties.

A livestream from the site by Syria's civil defense, the White Helmets, showed scenes of destruction from within the church, including a bloodied floor and shattered church pews and masonry.

Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mostafa condemned the attack, calling it a terrorist attack.

“This cowardly act goes against the civic values that brings us together,” he said in a post on X. “We will not back down from our commitment to equal citizenship ... and we also affirm the state’s pledge to exert all its efforts to combat criminal organizations and to protect society from all attacks threatening its safety.”