Palestinian Teen Shot by Israeli Forces Dies

A Palestinian protester seeks cover from tear gas fired by Israeli troops during clashes after a demonstration against Israel's settlements on the lands of Kafr Qaddum village, near the West Bank city of Nablus, 17 February 2023. EPA/ALAA BADARNEH
A Palestinian protester seeks cover from tear gas fired by Israeli troops during clashes after a demonstration against Israel's settlements on the lands of Kafr Qaddum village, near the West Bank city of Nablus, 17 February 2023. EPA/ALAA BADARNEH
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Palestinian Teen Shot by Israeli Forces Dies

A Palestinian protester seeks cover from tear gas fired by Israeli troops during clashes after a demonstration against Israel's settlements on the lands of Kafr Qaddum village, near the West Bank city of Nablus, 17 February 2023. EPA/ALAA BADARNEH
A Palestinian protester seeks cover from tear gas fired by Israeli troops during clashes after a demonstration against Israel's settlements on the lands of Kafr Qaddum village, near the West Bank city of Nablus, 17 February 2023. EPA/ALAA BADARNEH

A 16-year-old Palestinian died Monday from his wounds almost two weeks after being shot in the head by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The ministry announced the death of "Montaser Mohammad Theeb Shawa, 16, of his wounds, which he sustained two weeks ago by the occupation (Israeli) bullets in Balata camp" in Nablus in the northern West Bank.

According to AFP, the statement added that the "bullet penetrated his head".

Medical sources at the Rafidia hospital in Nablus said Shawa had been shot on February 8.

The Israeli army said in a statement that "on the evening of February 8... armed gunmen fired at soldiers" who secured Jewish worshipers at Joseph's Tomb, a contested religious site near the Balata refugee camp.

The force "responded with live fire", the Israeli statement said, adding without elaborating that a person had been hit.

Nablus has seen frequent clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants in recent months.



White House Urges Hamas to Sign on to New Deal to Ensure Hostage Release

Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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White House Urges Hamas to Sign on to New Deal to Ensure Hostage Release

Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

The Biden administration is urging Hamas to sign on to a new ceasefire deal that would ensure the release of hostages, White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Friday.

Kirby said the White House welcomed Israel's decision to send another team to Doha to continue negotiations.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have been trying to mediate a deal for a ceasefire and hostage release for a year with no success and are making another push this month before Donald Trump's inauguration.
Ceasefire efforts have continually stumbled on a fundamental disagreement over how to end the conflict. Hamas says it will accept an agreement and release the hostages only if Israel commits to ending the war. Israel says it will agree to stop fighting only once Hamas is destroyed.

On Friday, Hamas said it wanted "a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip" and the return of displaced people to their homes in all areas of the enclave.

US President Joe Biden has repeatedly called for a ceasefire agreement. Trump has said that if there is not a deal to release the hostages before his inauguration, "all hell is going to break out.”