West Bank: Funeral held for Palestinian toddler killed in arson attack by suspected Jewish extremists

Several hundred people attended the funeral procession of an 18-month-old Palestinian toddler killed by suspected Jewish attackers on Friday (31 July).

The attackers had torched a Palestinian home in the occupied West Bank, also seriously injuring his parents and older brother. They were flown by helicopter to an Israeli hospital where they were said to be in serious condition.

The house in Duma, a village near the city of Nablus, had its windows smashed and fire bombs thrown inside shortly before dawn as the family slept, the military and witnesses said. Graffiti in Hebrew reading "Revenge" was scrawled outside, below a Star of David.

Several hundred people marched at his funeral procession calling for retribution.

"With our souls and blood we shall redeem you, martyr," they chanted as the child's small flag-draped body was carried through the village for burial.

It was the worst attack by Israeli assailants since a Palestinian teenager was torched to death in Jerusalem a year ago. That followed the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers by Palestinian militants in the West Bank.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the attack an "act of terrorism".