Child Seriously Wounded in Weapon Mishandling in Khan Younis

Field Updates

On Sunday, 28 June 2020, a child was critically wounded as a result of weapon mishandling inside his house in Khan Younis. This incident is part of the state of proliferation of weapons and assault on the rule of law in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights’ (PCHR) investigation, at approximately 13:00 on Sunday, 28 June 2020, N. S. A. (16), from Mawasi Khan Yunis, arrived at Naser Hospital in Khan Yunis, with a bullet wound in the neck. Due to the severity of his condition, he was referred to the European Gaza Hospital where he was diagnosed with a gunshot wound that entered in the neck and exited from his back, severing his spinal cord; his condition was classified as critical and he was admitted to the intensive care unit.

Police sources stated to PCHR’s fieldworker that the police opened an investigation into the incident, and preliminary data indicates that he sustained a gunshot wound by accident as he mishandled a weapon inside his house. He also said that the investigation is ongoing according to legal requirements.

PCHR is deeply concerned over the increasing number of casualties due to the misuse of weapons, and calls upon the competent authorities to take necessary measures to protect civilians from the dangers of weapons.