13 Palestinians injured as Israeli forces shoot protesters

Palestinians took to the street in support of hunger-striking prisoners being held in Israeli jails

At least 13 Palestinians were shot and injured – one seriously – during clashes with Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank districts of Ramallah and Hebron this afternoon, as clashes also broke when Israeli forces suppressed demonstrations launched in solidarity with more than 1,600 Palestinian prisoners who entered their 36th day on hunger strike.

Israeli forces fired both live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets at Palestinian protesters who marched from Ramallah city to Israel’s Qalandiya military checkpoint, according to Palestinian medical sources.

Among those injured was a young man who was hit with a live bullet in the abdomen and was evacuated to the Palestinian Medical Complex in Ramallah. Doctors there reported his condition as “moderate to serious”.

Four others were shot in the legs with live fire, and six were shot with rubber-coated steel bullets, medical sources said.

The Palestinian Red Crescent’s ambulance service set up a field clinic near the Qalandiya checkpoint to treat protesters and bystanders, dozens of whom were suffocating from the effects of tear gas inhalation.

Witnesses said Israeli soldiers fired at the demonstrators from rooftops overlooking the main street. In response, demonstrators pelted Israeli soldiers with stones.

Israeli security forces intervene to Palestinian protesters with tear gases and plastic bullets during a demonstration in support of hunger striker Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in Deir-Sharaf district of Nablus, West Bank on May 19, 2017. ( Nedal Eshtayah – Anadolu Agency )

Palestinian protesters throw rocks to Israeli security forces during a demonstration in support of hunger striker Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in Deir-Sharaf district of Nablus, West Bank on May 19, 2017. ( Nedal Eshtayah – Anadolu Agency )

A Palestinian protester throws a rock to Israeli security forces during a demonstration in support of hunger striker Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in Deir-Sharaf district of Nablus, West Bank on May 19, 2017. ( Nedal Eshtayah – Anadolu Agency )

Palestinian protesters burn tires to close the road as Israeli security forces attack during a demonstration in support of hunger striker Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in Deir-Sharaf district of Nablus, West Bank on May 19, 2017. ( Nedal Eshtayah – Anadolu Agency )

Palestinian protesters close the road as they throw rocks to Israeli security forces during a demonstration in support of hunger striker Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in Deir-Sharaf district of Nablus, West Bank on May 19, 2017. ( Nedal Eshtayah – Anadolu Agency )

Israeli security forces intervene a Palestinian protest with tear gas and plastic bullets during a demonstration in support of hunger striker Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in Nablus, West Bank on May 19, 2017 [Nedal Eshtayah/Anadolu Agency]

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