Palestinians say Israeli army killed two in West Bank, including one teen
"At dawn today, Tuesday, 15-year-old child Amjad Nassar Abu Awad was martyred by Israeli gunfire in the city of Ramallah," the Ministry said in a statement.
"Also at dawn today, 24-year-old young man Samer Bassam Zagharneh was martyred by Israeli gunfire near the town of Dhahiriya" in the southern West Bank, the ministry added.
The Israeli military told AFP it was "looking into" the two reported incidents.
Around 20 people, mostly young boys and teenagers, had gathered at a Ramallah hospital to mourn Abu Awad..
In tears, the boys touched Abu Awad's face in the white light of the hospital morgue.
Two Palestinian teenagers, aged 13 and 15, were killed last week in the West Bank towns of Al-Yamoun and Kafr Malik respectively.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
Violence has soared in the West Bank since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 that triggered the Gaza war.
Since then, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 946 Palestinians, including many militants, according to the health ministry.
Over the same period, at least 35 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations, according to Israeli figures.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
Covid vaccine safe for heart, says Health Ministry citing AIIMS, ICMR studies
New Delhi, July 2 (UNI) A day after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah linked heart-related deaths in Hassan district to Covid vaccine, the Union Health Ministry today rebut his claims saying that extensive studies by ICMR and AIIMS have conclusively found no such connections. Siddaramaiah had on Tuesday said "hasty approval and distribution" of the Covid vaccine to the public could also be a reason for these deaths and urged everyone to visit the nearest health centre immediately for a check-up if they have symptoms such as chest pain or difficulty breathing, and not to ignore these signs. However, the Ministry trashed his observation, saying that the matter of sudden unexplained deaths has been investigated through several agencies in the country and these studies have conclusively established that there is no direct link between Covid-19 vaccination and reports of sudden deaths. The Ministry cited studies by the ICMR and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) saying that they have affirmed that Covid-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects. Sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-Covid complications, the Ministry said in a statement. The ICMR and NCDC have been working together to understand the causes behind sudden unexplained deaths, especially in young adults between the ages of 18 and 45 years. To explore this, two complementary studies were undertaken using different research approaches -- one based on past data and another involving real-time investigation. The first study was conducted by ICMR's National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) was titled "Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India - a multi-centric matched case control study," from May to August 2023 across 47 tertiary care hospitals in 19 states and Union territories, the statement said. It looked at individuals who appeared to be healthy but died suddenly between October 2021 and March 2023. The findings have conclusively showed that Covid-19 vaccination does not increase the risk of unexplained sudden deaths in young adults. The second study titled "Establishing the cause in sudden unexplained deaths in young" is currently being conducted by the AIIMS, Delhi. This is a prospective study aimed at determining the common causes of sudden deaths in young adults. 'Early analysis of data from the study indicates that heart attacks or myocardial infarction (MI) continue to be the leading cause of sudden death in this age group,' the statement said. Importantly, no major changes in the pattern of causes have been observed when compared with previous years. In majority of the unexplained death cases, genetic mutations have been identified as a possible cause of these deaths. The final results will be shared once the study is complete. Together, these two studies offer a more comprehensive understanding of sudden unexplained deaths in young adults in India. It has also been found that Covid-19 vaccination does not appear to increase the risk, whereas, the role of underlying health issues, genetic predisposition and risky lifestyle choices does play a role in unexplained sudden deaths, the statement said. Without naming the State and Karnataka Chief Minister's statement on doubting vaccine's efficiency, the statement said 'Scientific experts have reiterated that statements linking COVID vaccination to sudden deaths are false and misleading, and are not supported by scientific consensus. 'Speculative claims without conclusive evidence risk undermining public confidence in vaccines, which have played a crucial role in saving millions of lives during the pandemic. Such unfounded reports and claims could strongly contribute to vaccine hesitancy in the country, thereby adversely impacting public health.' The Karnataka chief minister had said more than 20 people have died due to heart attacks in the past month alone in just one district of Hassan. In a post on X, he wrote: "The government is taking this matter very seriously. To identify the exact cause of these series of deaths and to find solutions, a committee of experts has been formed under the leadership of Dr Ravindranath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, and they have been instructed to submit a study report within 10 days.' UNI AJ GNK 1310
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- The Hindu
Using tech to empower women and children
Empowerment begins with access — access to rights, to services, to protection, and to opportunity. Over the past decade, this access has been redefined and democratised through the focused commitment of the Modi government to build a more inclusive and digitally empowered India. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has been at the forefront of this transformation. Guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, the Ministry has integrated technology into its programmes, ensuring that benefits reach the last mile swiftly, transparently, and efficiently. What was once aspirational is now operational thanks to the government's emphasis on digital public infrastructure, real-time data systems, and responsive governance. With steadfast focus on care, protection, and empowerment, the Ministry has strengthened access to nutrition, education, legal safeguards, and essential entitlements, ensuring that women and children lead healthier, more secure lives, and also emerge as confident leaders and change makers of Amrit Kaal. Transformative initiatives A cornerstone of this transformation is the Saksham Anganwadi initiative, designed to modernise and empower over 2 lakh Anganwadi centres across India. These centres are being upgraded with smart infrastructure, digital devices, and innovative learning tools, enabling more effective delivery of nutrition, healthcare, and pre-school education services. The integration of services provided by 14 lakh Anganwadi centres across the nation with the Poshan Tracker has enabled real-time data entry, performance monitoring, and evidence-based policy interventions. Over 10.14 crore beneficiaries, including pregnant women, lactating mothers, children under six, and adolescent girls, are now registered on Poshan Tracker. By equipping Anganwadi workers with smartphones and comprehensive training, the initiative ensures quality service delivery at the last mile. At its core, Poshan Tracker is driving the national vision of a Swasth Bharat, Suposhit Bharat. It reimagines Anganwadi centres as digitally empowered community hubs that bridge the urban-rural divide. Recognised with the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration (2025), it also supports Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi, providing digital training modules to Anganwadi workers for early childhood education. Further, to reduce leakages in the Supplementary Nutrition Programme, a facial recognition system has been introduced to ensure that eligible beneficiaries alone receive nutrition support. Beyond nutrition, the Ministry is ensuring safety and support for women through technology-led platforms. The SHe-Box portal provides single-window access to every woman to lodge complaints under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. It enables online redressal and tracking. Meanwhile, the Mission Shakti dashboard and mobile app provide integrated assistance to women in distress, connecting them to the nearest one-stop centre, now operational in nearly every district. These interventions exemplify how technology is being used not just for efficiency, but for justice, dignity, and empowerment. The Modi government has also operationalised the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) — a game changer in maternal welfare. Under the PMMVY Rules, 2022, pregnant women receive ₹5,000 for their first child. Under Mission Shakti, the benefit extends to ₹6,000 if the second child is a girl — promoting positive reinforcement for daughters. Delivered through a paperless Direct Benefit Transfer system, about ₹19,000 crore has reached over 4 crore women beneficiaries since its inception. PMMVY is a fully digital programme — leveraging Aadhaar-based authentication, mobile-based registration, doorstep assistance from Anganwadi/ASHA workers, and real-time dashboards. A dedicated grievance redressal module and citizen-facing portal ensure transparency, trust, and accountability, strengthening the government's commitment to Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. Tangible outcomes These targeted efforts are delivering tangible outcomes. The latest reports from the Health Management Information System of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) reveal that the Sex Ratio at Birth has increased from 918 (2014-15) to 930 (2023-24). The Maternal Mortality Rate has declined to 97 per 1,000 births (2018-20) from 130 per 1,000 births (2014-16). Digital transformation has played a key role in child protection and welfare. Under the Juvenile Justice Act (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Ministry has strengthened the adoption ecosystem through the CARINGS portal (Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System). This ensures a more transparent, accessible, and efficient adoption process. Digitisation has also improved monitoring of child care institutions, foster care placements, and statutory support structures under the Act. Platforms developed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights are tracking violations of child rights. The Mission Vatsalya dashboard strengthens convergence and coordination among various child welfare stakeholders. This is New India where governance meets technology, and policy meets purpose. Over the last decade, the Ministry has not only adapted to digital change, but championed it. Annapurna Devi is the Union Minister of Women and Child Development
The Hindu
16 hours ago
- The Hindu
Palestinians say Israeli army killed two in West Bank, including one teen
The Palestinian Health Ministry said on Tuesday (July 1, 2025) that the Israeli Army killed two individuals, including a 15-year-old boy in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank. "At dawn today, Tuesday, 15-year-old child Amjad Nassar Abu Awad was martyred by Israeli gunfire in the city of Ramallah," the Ministry said in a statement. "Also at dawn today, 24-year-old young man Samer Bassam Zagharneh was martyred by Israeli gunfire near the town of Dhahiriya" in the southern West Bank, the ministry added. The Israeli military told AFP it was "looking into" the two reported incidents. Around 20 people, mostly young boys and teenagers, had gathered at a Ramallah hospital to mourn Abu Awad.. In tears, the boys touched Abu Awad's face in the white light of the hospital morgue. Two Palestinian teenagers, aged 13 and 15, were killed last week in the West Bank towns of Al-Yamoun and Kafr Malik respectively. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. Violence has soared in the West Bank since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 that triggered the Gaza war. Since then, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 946 Palestinians, including many militants, according to the health ministry. Over the same period, at least 35 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations, according to Israeli figures.
