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116 Protesters Injured, Three Seriously, as Israeli Forces Shoot at Protesters

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1 February 2019 |Reference 10/2019

Time: 7pm (+2 GMT)

 

During the 45th week of the Great Return March demonstrations in Gaza, the Israeli forces continued to use lethal and other forms of excessive force on Palestinian protesters. The documentation by Al Mezan Center for Human Rights shows that on Friday, 1 February 2019, Israeli forces injured 116 protesters, including 23 children, three women, one journalist, and one paramedic—of them 37 by live ammunition and 52 by tear gas canisters. Three were seriously wounded, including a child.

 

Al Mezan’s documentation shows that on Friday, 1 February 2019:

 

  • Iman Abu Sha’ar, 30, a paramedic volunteering with the Ministry of Health, was injured around her right ear by shrapnel of live fire as she was helping evacuate and providing medical aid to casualties at the demonstration in Rafah district.
  • An ambulance of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society was partially damaged as Israeli forces fired live ammunition on it.
  • Abdulrahman Al-Kahlout, 23, a freelance photojournalist, was injured in his back with a tear gas canister while covering the demonstration in east Gaza City.

 

According to Al Mezan’s documentation, since the start of the protests on 30 March 2018, 262 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. Of the total fatalities, 185 were killed at the protests, including 36 children, two women, two journalists, three paramedics, and eight persons with disability, including one child. Another 14,353 persons have been wounded, including 2,991 children, 623 women, 170 paramedics, and 149 journalists. Of those wounded, 7,605 were hit by live fire, including 1,410 children and 150 women. The Israeli forces continue to keep the bodies of 11 fatalities, including three minors. 

 

Al Mezan reiterates its strongest condemnation of the use of lethal and other excessive force by the Israeli forces, including sharpshooters, to police demonstrations. Al Mezan expresses deep concern at the continued attacks on unarmed protesters, paramedics and journalists, who are visibly marked as such. 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 urges the international community to take prompt and effective action to ensure respect for international law and provide meaningful protection for unarmed protesters throughout Gaza. The duty to protect protected persons is a principal legal requirement and is paramount to the international community’s commitment to their legal obligations.

 

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