The funeral of a three-month-old infant shot dead by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank has ignited fury across the Palestinian territories, throwing a fragile, UK-brokered peace process into jeopardy. The baby, identified as Layla Hassan, was killed on Tuesday during a raid in the Jenin refugee camp. Witnesses said soldiers opened fire on a vehicle, striking the child in the head.
The Israeli military said it was targeting a militant cell, but the killing of an infant has drawn international condemnation. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who had been mediating talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials, now faces a diplomatic collapse. The child's funeral procession through the streets of Ramallah drew thousands of mourners, including masked gunmen who fired into the air and called for revenge.
'They killed my granddaughter, they killed our future,' said the baby's grandfather, Ahmed Hassan, his voice breaking. 'This peace is a lie.' The UK government has urged restraint, but the incident underscores the fragility of a deal built on a foundation of blood.
The price of bread in Jenin has risen 12% since the crackdown, as the economy tightens under collective punishment. Union leaders in the West Bank have called for a general strike, threatening to bring the territory to a standstill. The real economy, the one that feeds families, is paying the price for political failure.
