by an Israeli army bullet last October. He died after running from soldiers patrolling his village of Al-Rihiya; emergency services said the bullet struck his abdomen. The Israeli military said troops fired at rock-throwing suspects during an altercation, language it typically uses to confirm a shooting. The killing of Palestinian children and teenagers has become increasingly common since the Gaza war began. Israeli rights group B'Tselem recorded 235 children and teenagers killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank from October 7, 2023 through June 2026 — including five by settlers — while a Palestinian Authority body reported 250. Before the war, roughly one child died monthly; since then, about seven per month. Last year's 54 victims included a two-year-old, with most aged 14 to 17. Teenagers are frequently shot during confrontations over rock-throwing, which soldiers label as terrorism. AFP spoke with 12 mothers who lost children since October 2023. Among them, Dania Abu Haikal, a university lecturer, was shot in the face when troops fired at her car in Hebron, with her seven-month-old son Sam killed on her lap. The army said a soldier fired on "uninvolved civilians" whose vehicle accelerated toward troops, a claim she disputes, insisting the car had stopped. She carries both physical pain and the emptiness of losing her only child. All the mothers described family life halted and a lack of accountability. Though they have consulted lawyers to push for investigations, Abu Haikal's words reflect a shared sentiment: "Palestinians don't get justice for being killed by Israelis." (Bssnews)