An octogenarian beaten to death by Israeli forces in Palestine

An octogenarian Palestinian man has died in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah after being arrested and beaten in handcuffs by Israeli forces.

The 80-year-old Omar Abdel-Majid Asaad was found in a critical condition after the assault near his home in Qalqilya north of the city. He died before reaching the hospital.

Asaad, who had health problems, had been driving home at around 00:30 GMT (2:30 a.m. local time) on Wednesday when he was stopped by Israeli forces conducting a nighttime raid in the area.

Israeli “soldiers handcuffed him and blindfolded him, and dragged him on the ground,” and “when they saw that he died, they left,” according to local reports citing family members and local Palestinian officials.

Local Palestinian officials demanded an international investigation into the brutal killing of the elderly and sick man by Israeli forces.

Violent raids by Israeli forces are a regular practice in the occupied West Bank, during which Palestinians are exposed to live fire, arrests, assaults and killings.