Palestinians protest during the fourth Great March of Return, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, April 20, 2018. Photo credit: WAFA.
For the fourth Friday, thousands of Palestinians in Gaza Strip demonstrated at areas of contact with the Israeli occupation on April 20, 2018.
This Friday, the march was organized under the slogan “day of the martyrs and prisoners” in honor of the yearly Palestinian Prisoners Day, which fell on April 17, 2018.
Israeli soldiers shot and killed four protestors on Friday, including one child, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Another 729 Palestinians, including 45 children, were wounded.
The child who was shot and killed was Mohammad Ibrahim Ayyoub, 14. According to Defense for Children – Palestine, Israeli soldiers shot Ayyoub in the head. He was pronounced dead at Shifa hospital.
Israeli soldiers also killed on Friday Ahmad Nabil Abu ‘Aqel, 24, Ahmad Rashad al-Athamna, 25, and Sa’d Abed al-Majid Abu Taha, 31. The camera of Palestinian journalist Muhammad Hassad al-Sawalhi, 40, was also reportedly shot and destroyed. He was hospitalized for injuries from shrapnel.
Palestinians protest during the fourth Great March of Return, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, April 20, 2018. Photo credit: WAFA.
As occurred in the previous Great March of Returns, Israeli forces targeted ambulances as medics attempted to reach injured protesters.
Next Friday, Palestinians in Gaza will demonstrate under the slogan “the youth rebel” in opposition to Israeli soldiers’ lethal violence.
Each week, the Great March of Return continues to grow despite the bloody Israeli backlash. So far since the marches began on March 30, 2018, Israeli soldiers have killed 34 Palestinians protesting for their right to return to land occupied or annexed by the Israeli occupation. Another 2,000 have been wounded.
A sign set up by Palestinian protesters near the Israeli military border besieging the Gaza Strip. Photo credit: B’tselem.
Ahmad Jaradat is the Senior Project Coordinator of the Alternative Information Center.