Description

Photos:
Omar Hasan Abu an-Neel, 12. Published by IMEMC News, Haaretz, and Defense of Children International (DCI)- Palestine.

Protestors evacuate a seriously wounded person from the fence of Gaza Strip border with Israel, during a protest east of Gaza City, last Saturday. Credit: Adel Hana,AP. Published by Haaretz
_____

by IMEMC News
Aug 28, 2021

Medical sources in the Gaza Strip have confirmed that a child died, on Saturday at dawn, from serious wounds he suffered a week earlier after Israeli soldiers shot and seriously wounded him, in the eastern part of the coastal region.

The sources stated that the child has been identified as Omar Hasan Abu an-Neel, 12, and added that he was shot in the head during a protest near the perimeter fence in Malka area, east Gaza city.

Omar was from the Tuffah neighborhood, in Gaza city; the medics rushed him to a hospital where he was admitted to surgery.

He remained in a critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit until he succumbed to his serious wounds.

On that day, 41 Palestinians were injured, many of whom were shot with live ammunition, including Omar.

Israeli sources report that an Israeli soldier was seriously injured when he was shot by a Palestinian protester through a hole in the perimeter wall where protesters were gathered.

According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, beginning on 30 March 2018, 215 civilians were shot and killed, including 47 children, 2 women, 9 persons with disabilities, 4 paramedics, and 2 journalists.

______

12-year-old Gazan Dies of Wounds a Week After Israeli Fire at Border Protest

Hamas faction says will renew nighttime riots on the fence and demand Gaza blockade be fully lifted ■ Arson balloons launched from the Strip cause fires in southern Israel

by Jack Khoury for Haaretz
Aug. 28, 2021 10:50 AM
Updated: Aug. 28, 2021 8:29 PM

Arson balloons launched from Gaza started two brush fires in southern Israel on Saturday night, Israeli firefighting and rescue services said, after a 12-year-old Palestinian boy died of wounds sustained during border clashes with Israeli forces last weekend.

The Gaza Health Ministry identified the boy as Omar Hassan Abu Anil, who sustained serious injuries after being hit by live fire on the border fence east of Gaza City during last Saturday's protest.

At the same time, the Hamas unit that holds nighttime riots on the border fence said that they would be renewing activities, in protest of Israel's delay in easing the blockade on the Strip.

In a statement from the Palestinian factions in Gaza, they said that "The blockade has turned life in the Gaza Strip into an unlivable hell. The relief that Israel said it would give to Palestinians, like the entry of some goods and providing permits to merchants to leave the Strip do not answer the minimum requirements. Therefore, our demand from the mediators is to fully remove the blockade."

Earlier this week, a Palestinian man died from a bullet wound suffered also during Saturday's protest. The Hamas militant group identified the man, Osama Dueji, 32, as a member of its armed wing and mourned him as a “heroic martyr.”

During last weekend's protests, the Israeli military said demonstrators approached one area of the fence in northern Gaza and tried to climb over while throwing explosives at troops. In response, it said that troops fired tear gas and live rounds toward the protesters. Israeli gunfire wounded 41 Palestinians, the Hamas-run health ministry said.

Hundreds of Palestinians took part in the demonstration organized by Hamas against the Israeli-Egyptian blockade of the enclave and Israel's decision to halt Qatari aid funds.

During the demonstration, an Israeli border policeman was critically wounded after being shot in the head by a Palestinian gunman through a slit in the border fence.

On Wednesday, around 1,000 Palestinians protested along the Gaza border fence in the Khan Yunis area, with Israeli soldiers using live fire to disperse the crowds. According to Palestinian reports, 14 Palestinians were wounded.

Prior to Wednesday's demonstration, the Israeli military said on it has beefed up forces near the Gaza Strip. Officers and soldiers were instructed to respond "more aggressively" to any attempts to breach the border fence or attack Israeli soldiers.

Israel initially blocked Qatari aid and the import of reconstruction materials following May's war with Hamas, On Thursday, however, the country said that it would be easing commercial restrictions on the Gaza Strip and expanding the entry of goods to the Palestinian enclave.
_______

Defense of Children International(DCI)-Palestine
Ramallah, August 28, 2021

A 13-year-old Palestinian boy succumbed to his wounds after Israeli forces shot him one week ago during a demonstration in the Gaza Strip.

Omar Hasan Mousa Abu Al-Nil, 13, succumbed to his wounds in Gaza City’s Al-Shifa hospital shortly after midnight on August 28. Israeli forces shot him in the neck with live ammunition during a protest near the perimeter fence east of Gaza City’s Shuja'iyya neighborhood on August 21, according to documentation collected by Defense for Children International - Palestine.

Omar was standing 70-100 meters (229-328 feet) away from the perimeter fence observing the demonstrations when Israeli forces shot him around 5:30 p.m. He lost consciousness instantly, an eyewitness told DCIP. The bullet entered the front side of Omar’s neck and exited the back side, damaging his windpipe and carotid artery and stopping his heart.

Omar was rushed to Al-Shifa hospital where he received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and underwent surgery to stop the bleeding. He remained in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for a week until he succumbed to his injuries, according to DCIP’s documentation.

“Israeli forces routinely shoot and kill Palestinian children with impunity in circumstances that suggest unlawful and wilful killings,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at DCIP. “The international community must act to hold Israel accountable by ending weapons sales and support for Israeli forces that exhibit complete disregard for international law.”

On the day Omar was shot and injured, hundreds of Palestinians protested near the perimeter fence in the eastern Gaza Strip. Israeli forces fired live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas grenades at protestors, injuring at least 20 children, according to documentation collected by DCIP.

Israeli forces injured a number of other Palestinian children during the same protest east of Shuja’iyya, including at least three who were shot in their lower limbs with live ammunition, according information collected by DCIP. Ismail A., 14, was shot with live ammunition in the lower left foot. Yousef S., 16, and Fares Y., 15, were both shot with live ammunition in their left legs.

Under international law, intentional lethal force is only justified in circumstances where a direct threat to life or of serious injury is present. However, investigations and evidence collected by DCIP regularly suggest that Israeli forces use lethal force against Palestinian children in circumstances that may amount to extrajudicial or wilful killings.

Omar is the 73rd Palestinian child killed by Israeli forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since the beginning of 2021, according to evidence collected by DCIP. 60 of these children were killed by Israeli forces in May during Israel’s 11-day military assault on the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces have shot and killed 12 Palestinian children in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Israeli forces shot and killed Imad Khaled Saleh Hashash, 15, on August 24 around 4 a.m. as he stood on the roof of his home as Israeli forces raided Balata refugee camp southeast of Nablus in the occupied West Bank. Imad sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was taken to Rafidia hospital in Nablus where he was pronounced dead.

Israeli forces shot Mohammad Mo’ayyad Bahjat Abu Sara on July 28, while he was a passenger in his father’s car. Israeli forces fired 13 bullets at the vehicle as it retreated from the area in which they were deployed.

Israeli forces shot Mohammad Munir Mohammad Tamimi, 17, in the back on July 24. Mohammad underwent surgery at Salfit governmental hospital but succumbed to his wounds later that evening.