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Update: 59th Great Return March
26، May 2019

On 24 May 2019 Palestinians in Gaza once again protested in the Great Return March demanding an end to Israel’s unlawful prolonged occupation, 11-year closure of the Gaza Strip and denial of Palestinian refugees’ right of return. Due to the heat, with temperatures reaching 42 degrees celsius, and many people fasting for Ramadan, there was a decline in participants this Friday. Nonetheless, the protest were still held between 4.00 pm and 7.00 pm in the five return camps and alongside the fence, where protestors gathered at distances of 50 - 300 meters from the fence. Protestors sang national Palestinian songs, shouted national slogans and participated in cultural events in the five return camps. A small fraction of participants threw stones towards Israeli soldiers. The Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF) responded with excessive use of force, firing live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters. This resulted in the injury of 13 Palestinians. Of those, one was injured by live ammunition and shrapnel, four by rubber-coated metal bullets and eight by direct tear gas canister hits, including three children, a paramedic and journalist.

Injuries

In the Rafah governorate three protestors were injured, one of whom was injured by rubber-coated metal bullets and two by tear gas canisters.

In the Khan Younis governorate six protestors were injured. Amongst those, five were injured from tear gas canisters, including a child and a paramedic. In addition, one journalist was injured by a rubber-coated metal bullet.

In the Central governorate one protestor was injured by live ammunition and shrapnel, and a journalist sustained injuries from a tear gas canister.

In the Northern Governorate two children were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets, of which one is in a critical condition.

No injuries were recorded in the Gaza Governorate.