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Palestinian-American mother seeks US intervention after son suffers skull fractures in violent Israeli settler attack

January 16, 2025 at 7:10 pm

Israeli settlers escorted by Israeli forces participate in a provocative tour in Hebron city, West Bank on January 04, 2024 [Mamoun Wazwaz – Anadolu Agency]

A Palestinian-American woman has called for an Israeli police investigation and US intervention after her 16-year-old son suffered severe head injuries in a violent attack by extremist settlers in Turmus Ayya village in Ramallah.

Hasna Kouk, 38, said her son, Mashhour, was with friends on Saturday when Israeli settlers from nearby settlements launched an assault. Rocks fired with a slingshot, struck Mashhour’s head, caused multiple skull fractures, requiring major surgery to remove bone fragments.

Kouk, originally from Chicago, urged US authorities to pressure Israel to identify and prosecute the attackers.

“We want the US to press the Israeli government for an investigation, to find whoever did this and prosecute them,” she told The Times of Israel. “Our lives are that cheap, our lives aren’t worth anything. Our kids go out to play and we don’t know if they’re going to come back alive.”

“Everyone has a right to feel and know that when their kids are outside they will come home safely,” she added.

Israeli authorities have not launched an investigation, and police stated that no formal complaint had been filed. However, Palestinians frequently encounter significant obstacles in filing complaints, including restricted access to police stations located within settlements and prolonged wait times.

The IDF claimed its forces arrived at the scene “minutes after” receiving reports of clashes but asserted that Mashhour had been injured prior to their arrival. They did not clarify why settlers were in the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya. Moreover, two Palestinians were briefly detained and later released.

Mashhour’s mother was not present during the attack but heard about it through mosque loudspeaker announcements. She rushed to a clinic, fearing her son had been shot after hearing unconfirmed reports of gunfire. Instead, she found Mashhour with severe head injuries, including a fractured skull caused by a rock allegedly launched with a slingshot.

“His forehead was busted open, his head was smashed in, there was a hole in his head,” Kouk said of Mashhour’s injuries. Mashhour underwent extensive surgery at Istishari Arab Hospital in Ramallah to remove bone fragments from his skull.

According to The Times of Israel, his recovery will be prolonged, with the possibility of reconstructive surgery.

The family have called on the US government to condemn the attack and pressure Israeli authorities to investigate and hold those responsible accountable. “I would like my American government to get involved, to at least respond to this terror. I would like my American government to condemn this incident. I want them to get involved, and find a way to protect their citizens,” she said.

“Imagine living in constant fear,” she said, adding that settler violence has become a worsening and routine threat. “I haven’t slept for a year because of trauma, because you might be attacked at night. There has to be someone held accountable for this.”

The IDF described the incident as a “mutual stone-throwing” clash and claimed its forces used riot-dispersal measures to break up the disturbance. However, Kouk insists her son was not involved in throwing stones.

Estimates indicate that about 700,000 Israeli settlers are living in 164 settlements and 116 outposts in the Occupied West Bank, adjacent to East Jerusalem. Under international law, all Jewish settlements in the Occupied Territories are considered illegal.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip on 7 October, 2023.

According to UN OCHA, between 7 October 2023 and 8 January 2025, 813 Palestinians have been killed in the Occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

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