Palestinian teen killed in Jenin by Israeli army wanted to be a journalist after high school: Brother

Palestinian teenager killed by Israeli forces on Sunday was a high school student about to finish his exams and wanted to be a journalist, his family told The New Arab.

Kamel Alawneh, an 18-year-old from the town of Jabaa near Jenin, succumbed to his wounds caused by Israeli forces Sunday at noon.

The director of the Ibn Sina hospital in Jenin city, Dr Jani Abu Joukha, told the Palestinian state news agency Wafa that Kamel Alawneh arrived at the hospital in a critical condition.
 
According to Dr Abu Joukha, the teenager was seriously wounded by a bullet hitting his stomach and he was put under intensive care. He was pronounced dead about an hour after his arrival at the hospital.

Kamel Abdallah Alawneh, 19 yrs old, from Jaba’ Jenin, was shot by the Israeli army yesterday & succumbed to his wounds today. He was named after his older brother Kamel who was murdered by the Israeli army in 2003. Compound agony, endless #IsraeliCrimes. pic.twitter.com/akH3CiLGGN

— Hanan Ashrawi (@DrHananAshrawi) July 3, 2022

"Kamel was concentrating on his high school degree exams, and he was on his way back from Sunday's exam," said Mu'taz Naalweh, the victim's older brother. "He was enthusiastic about getting his degree and planned to sign up at the media and journalism faculty, as he wanted to become a journalist."
 
"Kamel was named after his brother, who was killed in a clash with Israeli forces at the same age back in 2003, one year before he was born," pointed out the victim's brother. "Our mother is devastated after a second loss."
 
"Israeli forces are often stationed at the town's entrance and provoke the youth into confronting them with stones," added the brother.
 
Israeli media quoted the Israeli army claiming that they opened fire after a Palestinian "hurled a Molotov cocktail" at them and that "a hit was identified".

The Israelis further claimed that the circumstances of the killing "are being identified".

Heart-breaking: Palestinian mother of 18-year-old Kamel Alawneh, who was shot by Israeli occupation gunfire in Jenin, bids her son last farewell. pic.twitter.com/GEkRoPaLqH

— Palestine Electronic Forces (@PEFMISSIONS) July 3, 2022

Hundreds of Palestinians took part in the burial of Kamel Alawneh in Jabaa Sunday afternoon, amidst gunfire in the air, chants of anger, and flags being waved.
 
Kamel Alawneh is the second Palestinian teenager to be killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank in less than 10 days. On June 24, Israeli forces shot and killed 16-year-old Mohammad Hammad outside the town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah.
 
Israeli forces have killed 77 Palestinians since the beginning of the year, according to a report released on Sunday by the 'Palestinian Martyrs' Families Association', of whom (28) were killed in the Jenin region alone, including Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.