On Thursday (October 6), the Israeli military cleared itself of wrongdoing in the death of a 7-year-old Palestinian boy whose family says he “died of fear” after an encounter with Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank.

The United States, European Union and United Nations had demanded an investigation into the death of second-grader Rayan Suleiman.

Rayyan's father, Yaser, said that the soldiers chased his son to their house, and because his son was so scared of the soldiers, he died on September 29.

Israel closed its investigation into his death on Thursday, denying any violence in the encounter between Israeli soldiers and Rayan’s family and saying the “soldiers acted as expected of them, while adhering to the (army’s) values.”

Footage from September 30 shows Palestinian protesters hurling stones toward Israeli forces during clashes following Rayan's funeral.

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: Bethlehem - 30 September 2022. Palestinian protesters hurl stones toward Israeli forces during clashes following a funeral of child Ryan Suleiman, 7, who was dead after falling from a high place while running away from Israeli soldiers, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

STORYLINE:

Beit Jala hospital today said a 7-year-old Palestinian child has died after falling from a high place while running away from Israeli soldiers who were chasing him in the Bethlehem area village of Toqou.

It said that the child, Rayyan Yaser Suleiman, was brought to the hospital after his heart has stopped and efforts to revive him have failed.

Suleiman, it said, ran away in fear from soldiers who chased him and other students after leaving their school causing him to fall from a high place.

However, Rayyan's father, Yaser, said later that the soldiers chased his son to their house, and because his son was so scared of the soldiers he tried to run away but apparently his heart stopped and he fell dead.

He said he put his son in his car to rush him to the hospital but was stopped by the soldiers who checked his son and when they found him dead, they let him continue to the hospital.

Footage by /APA