Israel kills 2 protesters, including child, in Gaza

A paramedic carries an injured child after Israeli soldiers fired at Palestinians during the Great March of Return on 8 February 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Israeli soldiers fire at Palestinians during the Great March of Return on 8 February 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Paramedics carry an injured child after Israeli soldiers fired at Palestinians during the Great March of Return on 8 February 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Israeli soldiers fire at Palestinians during the Great March of Return on 8 February 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Israeli soldiers fire at Palestinians during the Great March of Return on 8 February 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

An injured child is seen after Israeli soldiers fired at Palestinians during the Great March of Return on 8 February 2019 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Israeli occupation snipers killed two Palestinian protesters, including a 14-year-old child, and wounded 17 others during the 46th Friday protests held as part of the “Great March of Return” in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said.

Fourteen-year-old Hassan Iyad Shalaby from the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis and 18-year-old Hamza Mohammad Ishtiwi from the city of Gaza were both struck by the occupation’s bullets today, the ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said that Shalaby was shot with a live bullet in the chest, noting that paramedics did their best to save him but he died soon after being struck.

Ishtiwi was hit in the neck, the ministry said, and died before arriving in hospital.

READ: 254 Palestinians killed, 23,000 injured in Gaza protests

The statement also said that 17 other protesters were wounded by the Israeli snipers, including one who sustained serious wounds as he was shot in the head.

In addition, the statement said that scores of protesters suffered breathing problems due to the heavy use of tear gas by occupation forces.

Thousands of protesters gathered in eastern Gaza to participate in the 46th Friday of the “Great March of Return” demonstrations calling for an end to the 12-year-old siege on the Strip and for their right to return to home their families were forced out of as a result of the creation of the state of Israel.