GAZA, Saturday, May 04, 2019 (WAFA) – A 19-year-old Palestinian on crutches was one of two shot and killed by Israeli army gunfire during the March of Return protests on the Gaza border with Israel yesterday, according to a Gaza based human rights center.

Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights said in a report that Raed Khalil Mahmoud Abu Tir, 19, from Khan Younis, was injured in the evening with a bullet to the abdomen. He was taken to the European Hospital for treatment where he was pronounced dead four hours later.

It said Abu Tir was walking with the help of crutches when he was shot. He was injured in the pelvis in last week’s protests forcing him to depend on crutches for walking.

Two Palestinians were killed in the protests yesterday and 116 others injured, among them 39 children under the age of 18 years, four women, four medics, and a journalist who was hit by a rubber-coated metal bullet. Of the injured, 35 were hit by live bullets and two were said to be in critical condition.

Al-Mezan said targeting and killing Abu Tir while walking with the help of crutches proves that the Israeli army intentionally targets civilians without any concern for international law or human rights.

It called on the International Criminal Court to start investigating Israel’s killing of Palestinian civilians and on the international community to intervene to provide protection for the civilian population.

According to Al-Mezan, 204 Palestinians were killed by Israel since the start of the March of Return protests on March 30 of last year, including 44 children, two women, eight handicapped, three medics and two journalists. In addition, 16,429 were injured, including 3715 children, 744 women, 194 medics and 165 journalists. Of the injured 8373 were hit by live bullets.

M.K.