Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Man in Gaza Protest

By Middle East Eye

28 December 18

sraeli forces killed a Palestinian man during a demonstration in the Gaza Strip on Friday, as the Great March of Return entered its 40th week.

The Gaza ministry of health identified the slain Palestinian as 26-year-old Karam Mohammed Fayyad, saying he had been wounded east of Khan Younis earlier in the day and succumbed to his wounds in the evening.

Earlier Friday, the ministry said Israeli forces had shot and injured at least six Palestinians as of 4pm GMT, in addition to one paramedic and one journalist, who were also wounded.

Since 30 March, thousands of Palestinians in the small coastal territory have demonstrated along the boundary with Israel, demanding the implementation of Palestinian refugees’ right of return and an end to the crippling 11-year siege of Gaza.

Between 30 March and 30 November, Middle East Eye calculated that 190 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the context of the Great March of Return. One Israeli soldier was also killed as the military has confronted the protest movement in that time.

More than 25,000 Palestinians have been wounded by Israeli forces in the same period.

The United Nations General Assembly denounced Israel’s use of force against the demonstrators as “excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate”, while many rights groups slammed it as illegal, “horrifying” and “calculated”.