By Hidaya al-Saedi
GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA):- A Palestinian teenager succumbed to his wounds late Wednesday after having been shot and injured earlier by Israeli army troops while taking part in a rally along the Gaza Strip, according to the local Health Ministry.
In a statement, Gaza’s Health Ministry said the 15-year-old boy Mumin Abu Iyada had been shot in the head by Israeli troops during a rally as part of the Great Return March at the eastern fence of Gaza’s southern town of Rafah.
The 15-year-old succumbed to his head injuries, the statement added.
According to Israeli Ynet News, the army said they “had no knowledge of any casualties or any live fire used by the soldiers,” and added that “only a very few officials were available for comments, because Israel was marking the Yom Kippur fast day.”
the soldiers fired dozens of live rounds, and high-velocity gas bombs, at Palestinian protesters near the perimeter fence, east of Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, wounding six Palestinians with live fire, and causing many to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.
The two Palestinians were rushed to the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, while the medics provided the needed treatment to scores of Palestinians who suffered the effects of teargas inhalation, in addition to various cuts and bruises.
In addition, the soldiers attacked many protesters on Palestinian lands near Kissufim military base, northeast of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, moderate wounding eight after shooting them with live fire, and causing many to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.
Since Wednesday afternoon, dozens of Palestinians gathered at the eastern border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel in order to join the ongoing popular Palestinian rallies known as The Great Return March.
On Tuesday, the soldiers killed four Palestinians, at dawn and during evening hours, east of Khan Younis, and near Beit Hanoun (Erez) Terminal in northern Gaza, and injured dozens of residents with live fire, in addition firing many gas bombs and concussion grenades causing many to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.
The slain Palestinians have been identified as Ahmad Mohammad Mohsin Omar, 20, from the al-Shati’ refugee camp in northern Gaza, Mohammad Ahmad Abu Naji, 34, from Jabalia in northern Gaza, in addition to Naji Jamil Abu ‘Aassi, 18, and Ala’ Ziad Abu ‘Aassi, 21, from Khan Younis
Also on Tuesday, the soldiers killed Mohammad Yousef Sha’ban Oleyyan, 26, in the al-Misrara area, in occupied East Jerusalem, after he reportedly attempted to stab soldiers, and Mohammad Zaghloul al-Khatib, 24, was beaten to death by Israeli soldiers who invaded his home, in Beit Rima town northwest of Ramallah, in central West Bank, while he was sleeping at dawn.
Since the rallies began March 30, scores of Palestinians have been martyred — and thousands injured — by Israeli troops deployed along the other side of the buffer zone.
Protesters demand the “right of return” to their homes and villages in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.
They also demand an end to Israel’s 11-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its more than 2 million inhabitants of many basic commodities.
[Photo: Mo’men Ibrahim Abu Eyada, 15, from Rafah, Gaza, killed by Israeli soldiers 19 September 2018. Photograph by Imemc.org]
