According to local sources, a group of men who were gathering rubble to make cement in northern Gaza on Saturday were fired upon by Israeli forces at the Gaza-Israel border, injuring two.The two injured men were identified as Sharif Sa’id Ghubn, 25, and Rami Ibrahim Ghubn, 18. They were taken to the hospital with moderate gunshot wounds.
Eyewitnesses reported that the men had been collecting rubble for cement north of Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, when Israeli soldiers began firing from their military base along the border, with no advance warning.
An Israeli army spokesperson told reporters from the Ma’an news agency that the soldiers stationed at the border told the men to identify themselves, and when they did not, opened fire.
The Israeli policy of creating large ‘security zones’ inside Gaza, which now comprise over 17% of the territory of the Gaza Strip, and firing live rounds at Palestinians who attempt to farm, work or walk in these zones has been largely condemned by international human rights bodies.
At least 22 people have been killed in the last year for entering these so-called ‘kill zones’ controlled by the Israeli army.
