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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- A lawyer for the Palestinian Authority ministry of prisoners' affairs Tariq Barghouth alleged on Saturday that Israeli forces launched attack dogs on two Palestinian youths after shooting them multiple times on Thursday night at a checkpoint near Jerusalem.

Adam Abd al-Rouf Jamous, 17, and Jawhar Nasser al-Din Halbieh, 19, were mauled by police dogs after Israeli forces opened fire on them without warning near al-Zayyem checkpoint near Abu Dis east of Jerusalem on January 30, Barghouth said.

The pair were visiting a friend's home nearby when Border Police suddenly opened fire in their direction before siccing the dogs on them.

Barghouth explained that the dogs mauled Jawhar Halbieh's body and inflicted numerous wounds before soldiers dragged the two youth on the ground for a distance of 300 meters while simultaneously beating them with rifle butts and kicking and punching them.

The beatings causing numerous fractures in their body, Barghouth added, and they were later transferred to Hadassah Hospital in Ein Karem.

Barghouth added that he had visited the pair in the hospital and found that they had suffered severe injuries, both as a result of the bullets fired at them as well as a results of the beatings, which had caused numerous broken bones.

He added that were being held in the hospital under guard by three Israeli soldiers.

He pointed out that both of the youths had been shot numerous times all over their bodies.

Bargouth said that occupation authorities had prevented the families of the two prisoners from visiting them in the hospital and that he planned to launch a complaint against the Border Guard soldiers for their brutal treatment of the youths.