RAMALLAH, West Bank — On July 19, the Syrian armed opposition faction Nureddin Zengi Brigade slaughtered Abdullah Issa, a 12-year-old Palestinian from the Handarat camp in Aleppo, thus raising the ire of Palestinians and prompting the PLO to call for the international prosecution of the murderers.

After the crime raised questions among Palestinians about the PLO’s role when it comes to protecting Palestinian refugees in Syria, the PLO declared in its statement that it is working on providing protection for refugees while “contacting Arab and international authorities in a bid to prosecute criminals by all legal means before international courts.”

Ahmed al-Majdalani, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ envoy to Syria and member of the PLO’s Executive Committee, told Al-Monitor that one of the Syrian opposition armed groups that receive support from a country in the region — in reference to Turkey — slaughtered Issa. Majdalani denied media reports that alleged the child was Syrian and said, “The child is from a Palestinian family that we know. He is well-known by the refugees in the camp and his parents died a long time ago.”

Asked about the protection the organization seeks to provide for refugees, he said, “Since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, the PLO has sought to ensure protection and security to the Palestinians in Syria in cooperation and coordination with the Syrian government forces. It also sought to offer material relief in collaboration with international organizations such as UNRWA, [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East] and contributed to the release of many Palestinians kidnapped by opposition groups.”