Israeli sources have confirmed, Monday, the death of a border police officer who was shot by friendly fire after an alleged stabbing attack at a military roadblock on the main entrance of Shu’fat refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem in the West Bank. The Palestinian who allegedly attempted the stabbing attack is a 13-year-old child who was detained.
The sources identified the officer as Staff Sgt. Asil Faour Sawaed, 22, and said that he was conducting what was described as a “routine inspection” when the incident occurred.
They added that the officer was shot by friendly fire before being rushed to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, where he succumbed to his wounds.
The officer is an Arab citizen of Israel from the village of Al-Husseiniyya, northeast of Safed in the Northern District.
According to Israeli Ynet News, Sawaed was shot when a “civilian security guard” opened fire to “neutralize the attacker” but accidentally shot the officer.
Ynet News said the officer and the civilian guard got on a bus to conduct a routine inspection when the Palestinian lunged at the officer with a knife and stabbed him, and added, “the security guard opened fire to neutralize the attacker and the officer was apparently by a misfire.”
The Palestinian child was identified as Mohammad Bassel Zilbani, 13; shortly after the reported incident, dozens of soldiers invaded his family’s home and ransacked the property before abducting his parents and brother.
The invasion led to protests before the soldiers fired many live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets, and gas bombs.
Palestinian resistance fighters also exchanged fire with the soldiers during the refugee camp’s invasion.
The army also imposed a tight siege on the refugee camp, preventing the Palestinians from entering or leaving it.
