Time: 9pm (+2 GMT)

On 19 July 2019, the sixty-seventh Friday of the Great March of Return (GMR), Israeli forces continued to use live fire, amounting to excessive force, in policing unarmed protests. 122 people were injured, including 45 children, four women, three paramedics, and three journalists. Of the injured, 57 sustained wounds from live fire, while 13 were hit directly by tear gas canisters. According to medical sources, five of the injured, including three children, are in critical condition.

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

• -- Khaled ‘Abed, 27, a paramedic with the Ministry of Health, was injured in the left leg with a plastic-coated steel bullet at the demonstration in North Gaza.
• -- Ahmed Wishah, 26, a paramedic volunteering with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, was injured in the left leg with a plastic-coated steel bullet at the demonstration in the Middle Area district.
• -- Fatima Al Najjar, 29, a paramedic volunteering with Watan Medical Team, was injured in the left hand with a tear gas canister at the demonstration in Khan Younis.

The three paramedics were wounded while providing aid and evacuating casualties in their respective areas.

• -- Sami Matran, 34, and Safinaz Al Louh, 28, both photojournalists, were respectively injured in the face and in the back with a plastic-coated steel bullet while covering the demonstration in the Middle Gaza district.
• -- Mu’ath Al Hams, 23, a freelance photojournalist, was injured in the left hand with a plastic-coated steel bullet while covering the demonstration in Rafah district.

Al Mezan’s documentation shows that from 30 March 2018, Israeli forces have killed 311 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Of the total fatalities, 207 were killed at the protests, including 44 children, two women, four paramedics, two journalists, and nine persons with disability. Another 17,443 persons have been wounded, including 4,186 children and 781 women. 8,758 of the wounded were injured by live fire, including 1,785 children and 173 women. In 246 shootings, 202 paramedics were wounded, 34 of them more than once. Also, in 241 shootings, 172 journalists were injured, 41 of them more than once.Of the wounded, 8,598 were wounded from live fire, including 1,717 children and 168 women. The Israeli forces continue to keep the bodies of 11 fatalities, including three minors.

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 at 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 shot.

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.