Tear-gas canister puts Gazan on life support

23-year-old Haitham Abu Sabla runs as he holds a teargas canister stuck on his face during a demonstration commemorating the Naksa, along the border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Ashraf Amra / Anadolu Agency]

23-year-old Haitham Abu Sabla runs as he holds a teargas canister stuck on his face during a demonstration commemorating the Naksa, along the border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Ashraf Amra / Anadolu Agency]

23-year-old Haitham Abu Sabla runs as he holds a teargas canister stuck on his face during a demonstration commemorating the Naksa, along the border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Ashraf Amra / Anadolu Agency]

23-year-old Haitham Abu Sabla runs as he holds a teargas canister stuck on his face during a demonstration commemorating the Naksa, along the border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Ashraf Amra / Anadolu Agency]

A Palestinian was on life support in a Gaza hospital on Friday after being struck in the face by a tear-gas canister fired by an Israeli soldier. At least 525 Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces during yesterday’s protest.

Israel says it uses tear gas as a non-lethal measure against Gaza border protests.

But the projectile, launched by a soldier on the Israeli side of the frontier, hit Haitham Abu Sabla in the face as he watched Palestinian stone-throwers taking part in demonstrations east of Khan Younis town, witnesses said.

As seen in these pictures by Anadolu Agency and others by Reuters photographer Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, the 23-year-old staggered back with the gas-spewing canister embedded in his cheek, his shirt bloodied, before collapsing.

A Gaza hospital official said Abu Sabla was placed on life support after the canister was surgically removed.

Abu Mustafa said: “An Israeli soldier came out of a military jeep and fired tear gas bombs … and demonstrators began to run. They began to run further back and there was one of them who had gas coming out of his face. He ran before me directly,”

“I started taking photos of him as he ran, before he fell to the ground and medics rushed to help him”, adding:

It looked scary, a man with smoke and gas coming from inside his face

An Israeli army spokesman had no immediate comment on Abu Sabla’s injury. He referred the media to an earlier statement that said troops were using what force was required to prevent around 10,000 Palestinians from posing an armed infiltration threat.

Abu Sabla’s older brother, Mahmoud, said they were both regulars at the protests against Israel launched on March 30 and in which the army has killed at least 123 Palestinians, according to Gaza medics.

“It was a must-go for us. We’ve never missed a Friday,” he said.

Palestinians use slingshot to throw stones during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian man uses racket to throw gas cannisters back to Israeli forces during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian man uses racket to throw gas cannisters back to Israeli forces during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian man uses racket to throw gas cannisters back to Israeli forces during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians burn tyres in response to Israeli security forces’ intervention during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians burn tyres in response to Israeli security forces’ intervention during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians use slingshot to throw stones during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians use slingshot to throw stones during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians seen burning tyres in response to Israeli security forces’ actions during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian protestors seen at the Gaza-Israel border during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian protesters seen at the Gaza-Israel border during the Great March of Return on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian protestors seen at the Gaza-Israel border during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]