The killing of a Palestinian teenager by the Israeli army in the illegally occupied West Bank has been termed a “war crime” and the European Union Delegation to the Palestinians has called for an investigation into the incident.

Fourteen-year-old Ali Abu Aliya was shot in the stomach during a protest on Friday against Israeli land theft in the al-Mughayyir village near Ramallah.

He died in a local hospital, the Palestinian health ministry said.

“Children enjoy special protection under international law,” said the delegation in a tweet.

“How many more Palestinian children will be subject to the excessive use of lethal force by the Israeli security forces?” it said, adding that the “shocking incident must be swiftly and fully investigated by the Israeli authorities in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.”