HEBRON, Wednesday, March 06, 2019 (WAFA) – Mayor of Hebron Taysir Abu Sneineh today held the Israeli military responsible for the death of two children in a fire in their home in the old town of Hebron by preventing Palestinian fire trucks and Red Crescent ambulances from passing through its military checkpoints to reach the afflicted house.

A child and his infant sister were burnt to death in a fire that broke in their house in the section of Hebron under Israeli army control and which is separated from the rest of the city by military checkpoints.

According to Hebron fire chief, Ayman Nasser Eddin, a call was received at 10:35 last night of a fire breaking out in a house in the old town.

He said two fire trucks were immediately dispatched to the scene but were kept from passing through two different army checkpoints, 160 and Jaabara, adding that following contacts and coordination with the Israeli army, the fire trucks were finally allowed through the checkpoints 20 minutes later.

By that time the fire had killed one child while the infant died later. The fire was however contained and prevented from spreading to the rest of the house, said Nasser Eddin.

M.K.