A father from Netivot says that his son, Chai Shlomo Cohen, was killed by a Kassam rocket. Cohen, who was deaf-mute, paralyzed, and confined to a wheelchair, died on Friday after suffering from broken legs, breathing difficulties, and a high fever. The injuries and illness were diagnosed shortly after a rocket landed next to a van in which he was a passenger.

Cohen and two other children were passengers in a van traveling to Ashkelon last week. They and the van’s driver were hit by a shock wave when a Kassam rocket landed a short distance from the vehicle. Cohen’s father argues that his son’s injuries and subsequent death were a direct result of the attack, but the government refuses to recognize the teenager as a victim of terrorism. Welfare Minister Itzchak Herzog said Thursday that he will follow the situation and do whatever necessary to help the family.