Ref: 141/2019
Sixty-Four Palestinian civilians, including 19 children, a paramedic, and 4 women; one of them was a paramedic, were shot and injured by Israeli occupation forces’ (IOF) fire against peaceful protestors at the 83rd Great March of Return (GMR), this Friday, 06 December 2019.
IOF preceded the protests today by describing them as “chaotic and violent”, threatening to target the protesters. Via a video, Colonel Iyad Sarhan, Head of the Coordination and Liaison Administration (CLA) for Gaza, called upon the Gaza civilian residents “not to go back to the violent way and not to take part again in the riot and protests along the border fence.” He also threatened, “if any of you approached the fence, you will be targeted and pay a heavy price for your wrong choices,” and added, “Being in the border area would endanger your lives.”
This week, IOF resumed the use of excessive force against peaceful protestors, as 4 civilians were shot with live bullets and their shrapnel in addition to other injuries with rubber bullets, mainly in protesters’ upper bodies. One of those injured was deemed in serious condition after being shot with a rubber bullet to the head, causing a skull fracture in eastern Rafah.
Palestinian civilians started heading at 14:00 to the five GMR encampments in the eastern Gaza Strip to join Today’s protest titled: “GMR Will Continue” and lasted to 16:30.
Since the outbreak of GMR on 30 March 2018, PCHR documented 215 civilian killings by IOF, including 47 children, 2 women, 9 persons with disabilities, 4 paramedics and 2 journalists. Additionally, IOF shot and injured 14,759 civilians, including 3,715 children, 391 women, 255 paramedics and 218 journalists, noting that many sustained multiple injuries on separate occasions.
The following is a summary of today’s events along the Gaza Strip border:
Northern Gaza Strip: demonstrations took part in eastern Jabalia. Protesters threw stones at IOF stationed along the border fence. IOF shot and injured 14 civilians, including 5 children and 2 women: 2 with live bullets and shrapnel, 8 with rubber bullets and 4 were hit with tear gas canisters.
Gaza City: hundreds took part in Malaka area in eastern Gaza City. IOF targeted them with teargas canisters and live and rubber bullets. As a result, 5 civilians were injured; 4 of them were hit with tear gas canisters.
Central Gaza Strip: protests took part in eastern al-Buriej Camp. Hundreds gathered near the border fence and attempted to throw stones at IOF, who fired live and rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, 4 civilians, including a woman, were injured: 1 with a live bullet and the others with teargas canisters.
Khan Younis: Hundreds civilians joined today’s protests in Khuza’ah area in eastern Khan Yunis. Most of the protesters stayed in the encampment for the activities while only dozens gathered near the border fence and attempted to throw stones and firecrackers. IOF fired live and rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at them in addition to firing skunk at them from water cannons. As a result, 6 civilians, including 3 children and 2 paramedics, were injured with rubber bullets and taken to hospitals. Moreover, many civilians sustained superficial rubber bullets wounds and suffocated due to tear gas inhalation. They received treatment on the spot. The wounded paramedic, Dalia Bassam Ahmed Abu Reidah (21), working within Watan Medical Team, was shot with a rubber bullet in her left hand while paramedic Mohammed Ziyad Zoghbor(35), a PRCS volunteer paramedic, was shot with a rubber bullet in the right shoulder. It should be noted that some Palestinian young men flocked to today’s protests at 13:00 and were shot with live bullets and hit with tear gas canisters before the crowds headed to the area. As a result, a child was wounded with a rubber bullet.
Rafah: hundreds of protestors gathered in eastern al-Shawka neighborhood while others remained at the protest encampment, where speeches and theatrical performances were performed. Dozens attempted to approach the fence and throw stones and burnt tires. IOF fired live and rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at protestors and pumped wastewater at them. As a result, 17 civilians, including 11 children, were injured: 2 shot with live bullets and shrapnel, 8 with rubber bullets and 7 were hit with tear gas canisters. RajehMohammed al-Qadi (24) was shot with a rubber bullet to the head, causing fracture in his skull. He was admitted to the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Yunis for his serious condition.
