Palestinian boy shot by Israeli army dies of wounds

JENIN, West Bank, Nov 5 (Reuters) - A 13-year-old Palestinian boy shot in the head and chest by Israeli soldiers died of his wounds on Saturday, Palestinian officials said.Ahmad al Khateep was critically wounded on Thursday during an Israeli army raid to detain suspected Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli army has said soldiers in the Jenin refugee camp came under fire from Palestinian gunmen in several locations and returned fire hitting the boy who they said was later discovered to have been holding a toy weapon.The army said that it regretted the incident.Al Khateep's body was transferred to Jenin from an Israeli hospital where he was being treated, Palestinian medics and a Palestinian security source said.
The boy's father, Ismail al Khateep, told Israeli television before the body was moved that his family had decided to donate Ahmad's organs to Israeli children who needed them."We want to send a message of peace to Israeli society, to the defence ministry and the Israeli parliament," he said."They (Israeli forces) killed my son who was healthy and we want to give his organs to those who need them."Palestinian officials have said Israel's frequent raids in West Bank towns and villages to arrest suspected militants hurt chances of resuming peacemaking stalled by more than five years of violence.