Alwaght- Israeli regime's security forces shot and wounded a Human Rights Watch (HRW) researcher wearing a Press vest along with seven Palestinian protesters in the occupied West Bank. HRW says the shooting was unprovoked, as protesters posed “no imminent threat".
The female research assistant, whose name has not been disclosed, was looking into the recent escalation of violence between Zionists and Palestinians, RT reported. She was attending the demonstration to observe the behavior of both the Palestinian protesters and Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) during the standoff .
The demonstration, with up to 200 protesters including families and young people in attendance, was reportedly peaceful at the time the research assistant was shot. HRW noted that Palestinians had thrown stones and Israeli soldiers had fired some live rounds of ammunition earlier in the evening .
The HRW employee was hit by two rubber-coated steel bullets. One hit her in the back and the other deflected off her torso, injuring her jaw.
In addition, seven protesters were shot and injured during the demonstration, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said .
Israeli security forces opened fire without giving any prior warning, according to witnesses. “We didn’t see any soldiers near us,” medic, RT cited Fadi Asmar as saying. “That’s why we felt safe. No one was throwing rocks or anything. Soldiers just started shooting .”
The shooting comes amid heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions. In the latest outburst, the IDF shot and wounded at least 50 Palestinians during clashes at the Huwwara checkpoint in the northern West bank, Maan News Agency reported .
Early on Sunday, a pregnant Palestinian woman was killed following a deadly airstrike by Israeli regime warplanes at the besieged Gaza Strip.
Palestinian al-Aqsa Satellite Channel reported that Israeli jets dropped bombs at a house where a woman was killed and the members of her family were injured.
