On Friday 2 August 2019, the 69^th week of the Great March of Return (GMR) protests, Israeli forces continued to use live fire and other violent means in policing unarmed protests. 64 people were injured, including 27 children, one woman, one paramedic, and two journalists. Of the injured, 26 sustained wounds from live fire, while 19 were hit directly by tear gas canisters.

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

• --: Osama Al Kahlout, 33, a freelance photojournalist, was injured in the left leg with a bullet at the demonstration in Middle Gaza district.
• --: Hatem Omar, 39, a freelance photojournalist, was injured in both legs with two plastic-coated steel bullets at the demonstration in Khan Younis district.
• --: Wafaa Jaber, 24, a volunteer paramedic, was injured in the left ankle with a plastic-coated steel bullet at the demonstration in east Gaza City.

Al Mezan’s documentation shows that from 30 March 2018, Israeli forces have killed 313 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Of the total fatalities, 208 were killed at the protests, including 44 children, two women, four paramedics, two journalists, and nine persons with disability. Another 17,629 persons have been wounded, including 4,299 children and 797 women. 8,838 of the wounded were injured by live fire, including 1,855 children and 175 women. In 255 shootings, 206 paramedics were wounded, 40 of them more than once. Also, in 245 shootings, 173 journalists were injured, 41 of them more than once.

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 concern by the continued deliberate attacks on unarmed protesters, including children, persons with disability, paramedics and journalists— the last two categories being visible as such to Israeli forces. Al Mezan stresses that the rights to peaceful assembly and to 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 harmed.

Al Mezan calls on the international community to condemn all violations of international law and to promptly intervene to ensure the protection of civilians from unlawful attack 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 action to ensure accountability and justice for serious violations of international law.

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