Palestinian infant burned to death in West Bank arson attack; IDF blames 'Jewish terror'
A one-and-a-half year-old Palestinian infant was burned to death and three of his family members were seriously wounded early Friday morning after a house was set on fire in the West Bank village of Douma, near Nablus.
According to witnesses, at roughly 4 A.M. Friday morning, two masked men arrived at two homes in the village of Douma, not far from the settlement of Migdalim. They sprayed painted graffiti reading "revenge" and "long live the Messiah" in Hebrew, breaking the windows of the homes and throwing two firebombs inside.
One of the two homes was empty at the time, but there was a family in the second: 18-month-old Ali Saad Dawabsheh, his father Sa'ad, mother Reham, and 4-year-old Ahmed.
The four were evacuated to a hospital in Nablus in the West Bank and then to the burns unit at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.
The Israel Defense Forces subsequently confirmed that 18-month-old Ali died in the attack, and that Jewish extremists are suspected to be behind the attack.
"This attack against Palestinian civilians is a barbaric act of terrorism," IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner tweeted soon after the attack.
Forces combed the area in an attempt to find the perpetrators.
According to eyewitnesses, the father was able to rescue his wife and 4-year-old son, but could not locate the baby, Ali, in the darkness.
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