24 Killed By Israeli Fire In the Golan, 350 Injured

Monday June 06, 2011 17:08 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Syrian media sources confirmed that Israeli soldiers shot and killed on Sunday 24 protesters who gathered on the Syrian side of the border of the Israeli occupied Golan Heights marking the Naksa Day, while at least 350 were injured.

Thousands of Palestinian refugees and supporters marched near the border marking the Naksa, the day Israel the illegally arrested the rest of Palestine in 1967.

The protesters were demanding their right to return to their homeland when the Israeli forces opened fire at them. At least eight of the wounded are in serious conditions.

Eyewitnesses told media agencies that the Israeli army used live ammunition, gas bombs and and phosphorous munition, and that the soldiers were directly aiming at the protesters leading to this large number of casualties.

The army even set ablaze several areas near the border fence in at attempt to prevent the protesters from marching to the border, eyewitnesses added.

A 23-year-old woman, identified as Enas Shreitih, from Al Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria was also among the killed by Israeli fire. She is originally from Yatta city, near the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

Meanwhile, the Hamas-led government of Ismail Haniyya in Gaza announced mourning following the deadly Israeli military attack against the protesters in the Golan, and said that all victims are the sons and daughters of Palestine who refuse to remain in exile while Israel occupies their homeland.

arab world | refugees/immigration | news report