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Israeli Forces Kill One Protester and Injure 50 on the 58th Friday of Demonstrations in Gaza

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oPt
Sources
Al Mezan
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On 10 May 2019, the 58th Friday of the Great March of Return (GMR) demonstrations, Israeli forces continued using excessive force in policing unarmed protesters, killing one protester and wounding 50 others, of them ten children, two women, one paramedics, and one journalist. 21 of those injured were wounded by live fire and 17 by tear gas canisters.

The documentation by Al Mezan Center for Human Rights shows that on Friday:

-- At about 6:15pm, Israeli forces shot with live fire Abdallah Abdul-‘Aal, 24, a resident of Rafah, at the demonstration in the east part of the city. Abdul-‘Aal was rushed to the Gaza European Hospital, where he was pronounced dead of his injury at about 7:15pm on the same day.

-- Mohammed Abu T’aima, 24, a volunteer paramedic, was wounded in the head by a tear gas canister that was fired directly at him. At the time of his injury, Abu T’aima was evacuating casualties at the demonstration in east Khan Younis.

-- Ramzi Al-Shakhrit, 35, a photojournalist, was wounded in the left leg by a tear gas canister while covering the demonstration in east Rafah.

Al Mezan’s documentation shows that from 30 March 2018, Israeli forces have killed 309 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Of the total fatalities, 206 were killed at the protests, including 44 children, two women, three paramedics, two journalists, and eight persons with disability. Another 16,479 persons have been wounded, including 3,725 children, 746 women, 192 paramedics, and 166 journalists. Of the wounded, 8,394 were wounded from live fire, including 1,630 children and 160 women. The Israeli forces continue to keep the bodies of 12 fatalities, including four minors.

Al Mezan condemns the continued use of excessive and other unlawful force by the Israeli forces, including sharpshooters, to police demonstrations. Al Mezan also expresses deep concern at the continued, deliberate attacks on unarmed protesters, including children, as well as on paramedics, journalists, and persons with disability—who are visible as such to Israeli forces. Al Mezan stresses that the right to peaceful assembly and free expression are fundamental rights and must be respected. Unarmed protesters not posing any serious or imminent threat to the Israeli forces must not be shot.

Al Mezan calls on international community to condemn all violations of international law and make a prompt intervention to ensure the protection of civilians from unlawful attacks in the context of the protests. The international community must end its silence on the aggravating human rights situation and condemn all violations of international law. Al Mezan also calls on the international community to take firm actions to ensure international law is respected, civilians are protected, and justice is served.