Time: 9pm (local time)

During the 50^th week of the Great Return March demonstrations in Gaza on Friday, 8 March 2019, the Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian protesters, killing a young man and injured 145 protesters, including 35 children, three women, three journalists, and three paramedics. 45 of those injured were hit directly by tear gas canisters.

According to the documentation conducted by Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, since the start of the protests on 30 March 2018, 269 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. Of the total fatalities, 192 were killed at the protests, including 40 children, two women, two journalists, three paramedics, and eight persons with disability. Another 15,021 persons have been wounded, including 3,236 children, 667 women, 175 paramedics, and 150 journalists. Of those wounded, 7,866 were hit by live fire, including 1,454 children and 157 women.

Al Mezan’s documentation that on Friday, 8 March 2019:

• -- At 5:25pm, Tamer Arafat, 23, a resident of Rafah, was shot with a live bullet in the head at the demonstration in east Rafah. He was immediately taken to the European Gaza Hospital, where he was pronounced dead of his injury at 6:40pm on the same day.
• -- Ali Al-Qassas, 40, a volunteer paramedic with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), was hit with a tear gas canister in the face.
• -- Ghalib Abu Khatir, 30, a volunteer paramedic with PRCS, was hit with a tear gas canister in the foot. 
• -- Mohammed Abu Jazar, 20, a volunteer paramedic with the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, was hit with a tear gas canister in the neck. These three paramedics were injured while evacuating and providing aid to casualties at the demonstration in Khan Younis.
• -- Yasser Al-Fadi, 34, a photojournalist with Kana’n News Agency, was hit with a live bullet in the right foot.
• -- Hussam Al-Adlouni, 31, a freelance photojournalist, was hit with a tear gas canister in the left thigh. Both of these journalists were injured while covering the demonstration in Khan Younis.
• -- Sari Mansour, 27, a photojournalist, was hit with shrapnel in both of his hands at the demonstration in east Al-Bureij refugee camp in the Middle Area district.

Al Mezan condemns the use of lethal and other excessive force by the Israeli forces, including sharpshooters, to police demonstrations. Al Mezan also expresses deep concern at the continued attacks on unarmed protesters, medics and journalists. 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.

In line with the recent findings and recommendations of the UN Commission Inquiry,[1] 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.

[1] Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, 2019: “In Almost All Cases UN Commission of Inquiry Finds the Use of Live Ammunition by Israeli Forces Against Demonstrators Unlawful and Recommends Accountability Measures”, available at http://mezan.org/en/post/23469