8-year-old Palestinian child summoned for interrogation by Israeli authorities

An 8-year-old Palestinian girl was summoned by Israeli authorities for interrogation on Wednesday evening, according to Palestinian security sources. 

Malak Sadr is the third child to be called for interrogation in recent days. Her family home in Hebron was raided Wednesday by Israeli soldiers, who handed a summons to Malak's father Shadi Sadr. 

The summons called for the young girl to appear before the authorities for allegedly harassing Israeli settlers in Hebron.

Tensions run particularly high in the West Bank city of Hebron, where several hundred Israeli settlers live in the city centre under heavy army protection, among around 200,000 Palestinians.

Two other children were also called for interrogation this week. 6-year-old Qais Firas Obaid was summoned on Wednesday, according to Wafa agency, for throwing a beverage at a police vehicle.

This came just a day after 4-year-old Mohammad Elayyan was reportedly summoned for throwing stones. Both the boys are from Issawiya, east Jerusalem, which has been the site of an ongoing crackdown by Israeli authorities.

Seven Palestinians, including a teenage girl, were arrested from the neighbourhood on Monday, while others were banned from entering.

Israeli police denied summoning Ilian, claiming the summons was meant for his father. The story was branded as "fake news" by Israel Police Foreign Press spokesman Micky Rosenfeld.

Israel was holding 210 Palestinian children in detention at the end of June 2019, including 2 under the age of 14, rights organisation B'tselem reported.

"Israel denied Palestinian children arrested and detained in the West Bank legal protections granted to Israeli children, including settlers, such as protections against nighttime arrests and interrogations without a guardian present," Human Rights Watch wrote in its 2019 World Report.

Palestinian Ahed Tamimi made headlines upon her release in July last year. The 17-year-old activist  served an eight-month sentence for slapping a soldier.

Agencies contributed to this report.