On Monday morning, 11 July 2016, 3 civilians, including a child, were wounded, due to opening fire throughout the Gaza Strip, while celebrating Tawjihi exams results, which is part of the state of proliferation of weapons, security chaos and assault on the rule of law in the oPt.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), 2 civilians, from the center of the Gaza Strip, were wounded. They were identified as:

1. Ramadan Fawzi Barghouth (26), from Deir al-Balah, who was hit with a live bullet to the palm of his right hand while selling spices in al-Nusirat refugee camp market.
2. Ibrahim Abdullah Shaqourah (70), who was hit with a live bullet to the head, while he was present in front of his house in Deir al-Balah.

At approximately 10:30, the abovementioned wounded were taken to al-Aqsa Hospital, where medical sources classified their wounds as moderate and minor.

In the north of the Gaza Strip, Mohammed Ramadan Mohammed al-Hennawai (14), from Beir al-Na’jah area in Jabalia, was hit with a live bullet to his right shoulder and settled under his armpit. Mohammed was walking in the street when some armed men opened fire in celebration of the success of their relatives in Tawjehi exams results. After that, Mohammed was taken to the Indonesian Hospital in Jabalia refugee camp, where medical sources classified his health condition as moderate.

PCHR deeply condemns the injury of the three civilians due to using firearm’s in occasions and celebrations which is part of the state of proliferation of weapons, security chaos and assault on the rule of law in the oPt. PCHR calls upon the official parties to take all necessary measures to end these acts and to guarantee they won’t happen again.