Mohammed Sobhi al-Judeili (Arabic: لقادر النجار Mohammed Sobhi al-Judeili; 3 June 1983 – 10 June 2019)[1] was a Palestinian paramedic who was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) while working as a medic during the Great March of Return. He was fatally hit by a bullet from a shot by an Israeli soldier as he tried to help the Red Crescent evacuate the wounded near Israel's border fence with Gaza.[2] The IDF has made no statement and it is possible that he may have been hit by indirect fire.[3] He was the fourth medic to be killed by direct fire since the 2018-2019 protests began at the Gaza border and have continued weekly.[4] He was at Abu Safiyya area, in Jabalia, on the northern edge of the Gaza strip when he was shot in May. Ninety-two civilians were also shot. The United Nations have investigated the shooting of medics and other un-armed civilians by the IDF in February 2019 and have stated that the killings "May constitute War Crimes or Crimes against Humanity.[2]
Personal life[edit]
A married father of four children, he had worked as a paramedic for the Red Crescent.[5][6]
Other medical personnel deaths[edit]
On May 15, 2018, Moussa Abu Hassainen, 35, was shot by the Gaza border while wearing a vest that clearly marked him as medical personnel; then on June 1, 2018, a 21 year old nurse/paramedic volunteer, Rouzan al-Najjar was killed by a bullet that was shot at her despite being clearly identified by the clothing and vest the medics wear while assisting the injured. On August 10, 2018, a medic was shot in the chest while treating a protester wounded in border skirmishes. Abed Abdullah Qotati was 22 and wearing his high-visibility vest when he was shot by Israeli soldiers. A UN probe into the killings resulted in a report that blamed rules of engagement that were one-sided in the conflict, with un-armed Palestinians charging the border fence and Israeli soldiers responding with live fire, to date Palestinians have reported 685 wounded medical personnel at the weekly border conflicts since 2018.[7]
Israel's use of deadly force was condemned on 13 June 2018 in a United Nations General Assembly Resolution.[8]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Palestinian Medic, Shot in the Head by Israeli Snipers, Dies". Democracy Now!.
- ^ a b "Palestinian paramedic shot by Israeli soldiers in Gaza succumbs to wounds". Middle East Eye.
- ^ "Gaza Medic Shot in the Head During Border Protests Succumbs to Wounds". Haaretz. 10 June 2019.
- ^ "Palestinian Medic, Shot in the Head by Israeli Snipers, Dies". Democracy Now!.
- ^ "Israel wounds 92 Palestinian civilians at weekly protest, including 28 children, 4 paramedics". Mondoweiss. 15 June 2019.
- ^ "Palestinians say medic shot in border clashes succumbs to wounds - News , Middle East - THE DAILY STAR". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 2019-06-16. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- ^ A_HRC_40_74.pdf Adv Edited version, 25th Feb, 2019 UN Human Rights Council Session pg.7
- ^ Times of Israel Archived 14 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine