September 7, 2018: Bilal Mustafa Khaffaja, 17, was killed by Israeli forces during a Great Return March demonstration in the besieged Gaza Strip. Nearly 400 Palestinians were wounded on the same day, many shot with live fire from the Israeli forces.
Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza said the soldiers killed Bilal after shooting him with a live round in the chest, east of Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
He added that the soldiers also injured nearly 400 Palestinians, including 45 with live fire, and added that 70 of the wounded were moved to several hospitals, while the rest received treatment in make-shift hospitals. Among the wounded were at least fifteen children.
Media sources in Gaza said the soldiers, including sharpshooters, stationed on sand hills and fortified posts, fired dozens of live rounds, in addition to rubber-coated steel bullets and high-velocity gas bombs at the protesters, along the eastern part of the Gaza Strip.
Dr. al-Qedra said the Israeli army continued its excessive use of force against the processions for the 24th consecutive week of Friday protests in Gaza.
The soldiers also shot one Palestinian east of Jabalia town, in northern Gaza, causing moderate wounds, before he was rushed to the Indonesian hospital in nearby Beit Lahia.
Another Palestinian was shot in his leg, east of Khuza’a town, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, before he was rushed to the European hospital, suffering a moderate injury.
The soldiers also attacked and injured several Palestinians, east of the al-Boreij refugee camp, in central Gaza, and east of Rafah, in the southern part of the coastal region.
One of the wounded Palestinians was rushed to Abu Yousef Najjar hospital, in Rafah, after suffering a moderate injury, while dozens were treated for the effects of teargas inhalation.
Dr. Al-Qedra said the Israeli military killed 173 Palestinians, including three medics and two journalists, and injured 19139 others in the Gaza Strip, since the Great Return March procession started on Palestinian Land Day, March 30th, 2018.
Bilal was from Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC