By Ali Semerci
GAZA, Palestine (AA): A Palestinian volunteer paramedic was killed by Israeli forces Friday at the Gaza border, as dozens of others were injured by live bullets amid mass peaceful demonstrations for Palestinian “right to return”.
In a written statement, Palestine’s Health Ministry said Razan Ashraf Najjar, 21, a female paramedic was shot dead by Israeli forces while healing wounded demonstrators in Khan Yunis on Friday.
Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza, stated that the Razan was killed by live Israeli army fire after the soldiers targeted five medics providing treatment to wounded Palestinians in the “Return Camp,” east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Razan, who was wearing a clearly-marked medic vest, was at least 100 meters away from the eastern border fence when she was shot while providing aid to wounded Palestinians and attempting to evacuate them to the field clinic.
Prior to her injury, Razan, managed to render aid to many wounded Palestinians, including an elderly man who suffered the effects of teargas inhalation.
Razan was killed when an Israeli sniper shot her in the back, and the bullet went through her heart.
Dr. Rasha Abdul-Rahman Qdeih said she was with Razan when they were trying to help wounded Palestinians, but five army jeeps came close to the fence, before two soldiers left one of the vehicles and pointed their sniper scopes at them.
“I shouted at my colleagues to take cover and remain alert,” she said, “The soldiers fired several rounds, and some minutes later, we managed to evacuate the wounded, before the soldiers started firing gas bombs.”
“But then, the soldiers fired several exploding rounds at us; one of them struck Razan and killed her, and another bullet struck a medic, identified as Rami Abu Jazar, in his thigh, in addition to shrapnel in his left thigh, arm and leg, while another medic, Mahmoud Abdul-‘Aati, was injured by shrapnel,” Dr. Rasha added.
It is worth mentioning that Razan is the second medic to be killed by Israeli army fire since March 30th, after the soldiers killed Mousa Jaber Abu Hassanein, 36, who was shot on May 14th, while wearing a clearly marked medic vest.
The soldiers also injured 223 medics, including 29 who were shot with live fire or after being directly targeted with high-velocity gas bombs.
Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra revealed in his written statement that more than 100 people were also injured by disproportionate force. Forty were injured by live bullets.
Tension has mounted in the Palestinian territories since last December, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
On May 14, the U.S. relocated its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, drawing condemnation from across the Arab and Muslim world and further enflaming passions in the Palestinian territories.
Since March 30, at least 118 Palestinians have been killed — and thousands more injured — by Israeli army gunfire in the eastern Gaza Strip.
Additional report from Imemc.org
[Photo: Palestinian medical Rezzan en-Najjar giving medical treatment to Palestinians, who were wounded by Israeli security forces, during “Land Day” demonstrations, which commemorates the murder of six Palestinians by Israeli forces in 1976, in Khan Yunis, Gaza on April 01, 2018. Photographer: Abed Zagout/AA]
