Palestinian Boy Tells of Family Car Attack

A 12-year-old Palestinian boy says Israeli forces shot at his family's car in the occupied West Bank. He says his mother, father, and two young brothers died. One of the boys was seven years old and blind. The family was driving home after shopping before Eid.

The boy, Khaled, said the soldiers pulled him from the car and beat him when he tried to help his brother. Relatives say the family was only minutes from home in Tammun. Khaled's father had recently come back after working in Israel for six weeks. The Israeli army said its forces were in the area to arrest people suspected of attacking Israeli security forces.

A 12-year-old Palestinian boy, Khaled Bani Odeh, says Israeli forces opened fire on his family's car in the occupied West Bank. He says his parents and two younger brothers were killed as they drove home after shopping in Nablus before Eid al-Fitr. One of the children, seven-year-old Othman, was blind and disabled. Khaled said he thought for a moment that he was the only person left alive.

He said soldiers later pulled him from the car, questioned him, and beat him when he tried to protect his surviving brother. Relatives say the family was close to home in the village of Tammun after midnight. Khaled's father had just returned after six weeks of construction work in Israel. The Israeli army said its soldiers and Border Police were operating in Tammun to arrest people suspected of militant activity.