Gaza protests resume following Palestinian paramedic’s funeral
KHUZAA, Gaza Strip — Thousands of Palestinians, including hundreds of medical workers in white uniforms, took part Saturday in the funeral procession of a colleague who was shot dead by Israeli troops the previous day along the Israel- Gaza border.
Razan Najjar, a 21- year- old volunteer paramedic, was shot as she tried to help evacuate wounded near Israel’s perimeter fence with Gaza. She was the second woman among more than 115 Palestinians who have been killed by Israeli army fire since Gaza border protests began in late March.
U. N. officials condemned the killing of Najjar, saying that witness reports indicated she wore clothing that clearly identified her as a health worker.
“The killing of a clearly identified medical staffer by security forces during a demonstration is particularly reprehensible,” said Jamie McGoldrick, the local U. N. humanitarian coordinator.
After Najjar’s funeral, dozens of mourners headed to the fence and started throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers on the other side. The Palestinian Health Ministry said five protesters were wounded by Israeli fire.
The Khan Younis hospital said Najjar had a gunshot wound in the chest with an exit wound in the back.
The military said its troops operated “in accordance with standard operating procedures” and that it was investigating the incident.
Israel insists that throughout the weeks- long campaign its troops have fired only at instigators and that Hamas has been cynically using the demonstrations as cover to carry out attacks. But military officials have acknowledged shooting some people by mistake due to the crowded and smoky conditions of the protests.
Later Saturday, in a development that threatened to collapse an informal cease- fire, the Israeli military said two projectiles were fired from Gaza. One was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system and the other landed inside Gaza.