NEWSDESK
"At the intersection [by Al-Azhar University] I saw a man who fell on the ground after being injured. I ran to help him but as soon as I arrived a bullet hit my arm. I don't know where the bullet came from. There was a seven-story building overlooking the crossroads, and Hamas gunmen were firing from the roof and the other policemen were also firing, some in the air and some at the demonstrators. With my own eyes, I saw three policemen at the crossroads taking up positions like snipers and they fired at the people."The people started to shout 'Shi'a! Shi'a!' at them and they threw stones at Hamas policemen. There were no armed men among Fatah, only bodyguards of Abu Mahir Hillis, a senior Fatah leader in Gaza, were armed with pistols and one of them was armed with a Kalashnikov but they left before the violence started."I was running like a crazy boy because of the pain in my arm. There were no cars. People carried me from time to time to get me out of the square. I learned later that the problems started when the policemen tried to arrest three Fatah supporters who were using their mobile phone cameras and filming near the crossroad where many policemen and gunmen, dressed in civilian clothes, were deployed. The people tried to prevent Hamas from arresting the three guys and the shouting started from here."A 22-year-old Fatah supporter from Deir al-Balah explained how he got wounded:
"I came from Deir al-Balah to the rally. When it ended around 12:30, I suddenly heard some gunshots that came from behind. I went there, at [the Al-Azhar University] intersection – about 50 meters from the main police compound in Gaza – and found dozens of Executive Force [Hamas] members, who were on full alert and pointing their guns at the people."The people shouted 'Shi'a! Shi'a!' at Hamas. I came closer but suddenly one of the Executive Force men opened fire randomly at the people. A young guy next to me was killed immediately and I was wounded by a gunshot in my right leg. I arrived at the hospital after almost two hours because the ambulances were unable to come to the place and there were no cars because of the number of people."A.H., age 17, explained how he was shot in his right leg:
"I ran for cover as most of the people did when the shooting suddenly started at the end of the demonstration. While I was running, a gunshot hit me in my abdomen. I don't know where the bullets came from but I can confirm that I did not see any weapons with anyone from Fatah. When the Executive Force attacked the rally, the people threw stones at them."According to PCHR, Hamas police temporarily detained at least three journalists covering the demonstration. At least one foreign reporter, Paul Martin from The Times of London, was temporarily held.According to Ihab al-Ghusain, the Ministry of Interior spokesman, the blame for Monday's violence rests with Fatah. He said four policemen were fired upon and lightly wounded in northern Gaza before the demonstration and two others were wounded in a drive-by shooting in the area of Nusseirat, south of Gaza City. During the demonstration, he said, Fatah gunmen were positioned on rooftops overlooking the demonstration and on the buildings of Al-Azhar University."There was a Fatah plan in advance to cause trouble and riots after taking advantage of the large crowd," the Interior Ministry spokesman said. "And, yes, of course, after the speakers finished their speeches, gunmen on Al-Azhar University [rooftops] fired at the people and the police. The policemen got close to the scene to see who was firing but the gunmen continued to fire and these unfortunate incidents have continued and ended with the death and injuries of a number of Palestinian people."The police arrested two of the Fatah gunmen, he said, in addition to a number of "trouble-makers" who were arrested at the demonstration. The police also confiscated pipe bombs and pistols, he said.On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch visited the intensive care unit at Al-Shifa Hospital, where the following people were receiving care:1. Mahmud Muhammad al-Rifa'i, 23, gunshot to the neck 2. Yusif al-Dairi, 18, gunshot to the head 3. Marwan al-Nunu, 21, gunshot to the head (died on Wednesday) 4. Ahmad al-Wadi'a, 20, gunshot in the abdomenThe Ministry of Health also provided some details of those wounded:• Four people, including a 5-year-old boy, 'Atif al-Ghar, were wounded in the head. • Six wounded people received treatment for broken bones. • Eight people received treatment for shock. • Five people received treatment for severe beatings: Muhammad Madi, 20, from Khan Younis; Naji Sulaiman, 24, from the Beach refugee camp; 'Ola 'Adnan Sha'th, 20, from Khan Younis; Yihya Ahmad al-Najjar, 23, from Jabaliyya; and Basim Abu 'Obaid, 22, from Rafah.
