During the 60th and 62nd Great Return March protests, on 31 May and 14 June 2019, hundreds of Palestinians, including women, children, young men, and families, gathered between 4:00 and 7:00 pm in the five return camps established by the National Authority for the Return March. Protesters organized popular and folkloric activities in the return camps and surrounding areas, chanted national slogans, and raised Palestinian flags, while dozens of protestors, including women, children and youths, gathered at a distance of 50-300 meters from the fence, while Israeli snipers were stationed behind the hills and sand blocks, inside military towers and military enclaves behind the fence on the other side. Some of the protesters threw stones at Israeli forces, while the latter fired live and rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at the protestors.

60th Great Return March Protests, Friday, 31 May 2019

On Friday, 31 May 2019, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip continued to participate in the Great Return March protests for the 60th week, while the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continued to target peaceful demonstrators, medical personnel working and on duty journalists. According to Al-Haq’s field monitoring, the number of protestors taking part had declined significantly due to high temperatures and Ramadan. On that day, 48 Palestinian civilians were injured by the IOF, including seven who were wounded with live bullets, 32 with rubber bullets and nine from direct gas canister hits. Among the wounded were 14 children, a paramedic and a journalist.

Injuries

In the Rafah Governorate, 21 protestors, including 10 children and one paramedic, were wounded. Of the wounded, three were wounded by live bullets, including the paramedic, and shrapnel from bullets, and 18 were wounded with rubber-coated metal bullets. In the Khan Younis Governorate, nine protestors, including two children, were wounded; five of whom were hit by direct tear gas canisters and four by rubber-coated metal bullets.

In the Central Governorate, six protestors were injured, including four with live bullets and 2 with direct tear gas canisters. In the Northern Governorate, six protestors were injured, including three children and a journalist. Of the wounded, four were wounded with rubber-coated metal bullets and two were hit directly by tear gas canisters. In the Gaza Governorate, five protestors were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets, including one child.

62nd Great Return March Protests, Friday, 14 June 2019

On Friday, 14 June 2019, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to target peaceful protestors, paramedics and journalists, during the 62nd Great Return March. The IOF fired live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at protestors, injuring 95, 25 of whom were wounded by live bullets and shrapnel of bullets, 48 with rubber bullets, and 21 with direct tear gas canisters. Among those injured were 29 children and four paramedics.

In the Rafah Governorate, 43 protestors, including 14 children and four paramedics, were wounded with live bullets and bullet shrapnel; 37 were wounded with rubber-coated metal bullets, and three were injured directly by tear gas canisters in different parts of the body. In the Central Governorate, 22 protestors were injured, including seven children, one of whom was shot in the chest, sustaining serious injuries. Of the injured, 13 were wounded with live bullets and the shrapnel from bullets, and nine were injured by direct tear gas canisters hits.

In the Gaza Governorate, 19 demonstrators were wounded, including five children. Of the injured, seven were wounded with live bullets and fragments of bullets, seven were wounded with rubber-coated metal bullets, and five were hit by direct gas bombs. In the North Gaza Governorate, five demonstrators, including two children were injured. Of these, two were shot with live bullets, one was hit by a direct tear gas canister, and two were hit by rubber bullets. In the Khan Younis Governorate, five demonstrators, including one child, were wounded. Among those injured, three were injured by direct gas canister hits and two were wounded with rubber-coated metal bullets.

On both weeks, dozens of protestors suffered from suffocation, as a result of inhaling tear gas, and were treated on the ground.