Fahed Mohammad al-Astal

November 29, 2019: Fahed Mohammad Walid al-Astal, 16, was killed by Israeli army fire when the army attacked protesters, hundreds of meters away from the perimeter fence, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

The incident took place when approximately twenty residents gathered on Palestinian lands, a few hundred meters from the fence.

The soldiers, stationed in their posts and army vehicles across the fence, fired live bullets, rubber-coated steel rounds, and high-velocity gas bombs at several Palestinians, killing Fahed, and injuring at least five others, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza, has confirmed that the soldiers killed Fahed with a live round in the abdomen.

Dr. al-Qedra added that the soldiers also shot at least five other Palestinians and caused many to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.

The Palestinians gathered at the Great Return March encampment, at least 700 meters away from the perimeter fence, east of Khan Younis, marking International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

It is worth mentioning that the Great Return March processions have been suspended for the third week, but have not been canceled.

The Committee for the Great Return March Processions said the temporary halt of the processions is not related to any “truce talks,” but to avoid further casualties after Israel threatened to escalate its already excessive use of force.

Over 348 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip, and about 18,500 others injured by Israeli forces since the beginning of the Great March of Return protests at Gaza’s border, on March 30, 2018.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) documented 215 killings by Israel since the outbreak of the Great Return March protests on 30 March 2018, including 47 children, 2 women, 9 persons with disabilities, 4 paramedics and 2 journalists.

The PCHR also said that 14,713 were wounded, including 3,696 children, 387 women, 253 paramedics, and 218 journalists, noting that many of those wounded had sustained multiple injuries on separate occasions.

These figures do not include the Palestinians who were killed by Israeli bullets, missiles, and shells, during military offensives on Gaza.

Fahed was from Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC