First Palestinian killed by Israeli forces in 2018 is 17-year-old protester shot in the neck

Death brings total Palestinians killed in unrest since Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem the capital of Israel to 14, says health ministry

Palestinian mourners carry the body of Musab Firas al-Tamimi, 17, who was shot dead in clashes with the Israeli army a day earlier, during his funeral in the village of Deir Nizam north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, on 4 January 2018 (ABBAS MOMANI/AFP/Getty Images)

An Israeli soldier has shot dead a 17-year-old Palestinian boy in occupied territory near Ramallah in the West Bank, the Israeli army has said.

Musab Firas al-Tamimi is believed to be the first Palestinian killed by Israeli forces in 2018.

“He died shortly after the occupation forces fired a bullet into his neck,” Maria Aqraa, a spokesperson for the Palestinian health ministry, told Al Jazeera.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said in an emailed statement the teenager was taking part in a “violent riot” in Deir Nidham, around 14 miles northwest of Ramalla, that involved “dozens” of Palestinians.

Troops saw a rioter that appeared to be armed with a gun, the IDF said.

“In response to the threat, forces shot towards the rioter,” it said, adding that the incident was “being reviewed”.

The 17-year-old was critically injured when he was shot in the neck, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent told The Times of Israel.

Musab's death brings the number of Palestinians killed in unrest since Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December to 14, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The IDF said on Thursday it had launched a criminal investigation into the death of disabled Palestinian man, Ibrahim Abu Thurayeh, at a protest along Gaza’s security fence last month.

Palestinian medical records showed he was killed by a bullet that struck him in the head, the Associated Press reported.

The military closed its initial probe into the death of Mr Abu Thurayeh after only a day, saying forces fired at protesters, but not directly at the wheelchair-bound double amputee. It was impossible to determine the cause of his death, it said.

Palestinian officials say the paraplegic activist was killed by Israeli sniper fire, but the military denies the claim.