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| Mother of shot Gaza medic: ‘She thought the white coat would protect her’ | Mother of shot Gaza medic: ‘She thought the white coat would protect her’ |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Gaza’s medics have fine-tuned tactics on how to work in the line of fire without being shot by Israeli snipers. | Gaza’s medics have fine-tuned tactics on how to work in the line of fire without being shot by Israeli snipers. |
| They wear white jackets with reflective, high-visibility stripes. With their hands raised above their heads, teams move slowly and deliberately towards casualties, past piles of burning tyres and plumes of white teargas smoke. | They wear white jackets with reflective, high-visibility stripes. With their hands raised above their heads, teams move slowly and deliberately towards casualties, past piles of burning tyres and plumes of white teargas smoke. |
| As they approach the metal fence, they come within speaking distance of troops on the other side. They scream out in unison: “Don’t shoot. There are wounded.” | As they approach the metal fence, they come within speaking distance of troops on the other side. They scream out in unison: “Don’t shoot. There are wounded.” |
| There is no way, they believe, that anyone might misidentify them in Gaza’s open fields. | There is no way, they believe, that anyone might misidentify them in Gaza’s open fields. |
| But medical workers across the coastal strip – which Israel occupied for 38 years until 2005 and over which it enforces a strict land and naval blockade – are coming to the same terrifying conclusion: the strategy is not working. | But medical workers across the coastal strip – which Israel occupied for 38 years until 2005 and over which it enforces a strict land and naval blockade – are coming to the same terrifying conclusion: the strategy is not working. |
| Razan al-Najjar, a volunteer health worker, took all the precautions, her colleagues say, and she was still killed by a bullet in her chest last Friday. | Razan al-Najjar, a volunteer health worker, took all the precautions, her colleagues say, and she was still killed by a bullet in her chest last Friday. |
| The 21-year-old was the second medic to be killed in a 10-week Palestinian demonstration movement, and 25 others have been hit with live fire, according to Gaza’s ministry of health. | The 21-year-old was the second medic to be killed in a 10-week Palestinian demonstration movement, and 25 others have been hit with live fire, according to Gaza’s ministry of health. |
| Faris al-Qidra, who was on shift with al-Najjar when she died, said she and four others had gone to rescue a man smashed in the face with a teargas canister 20 metres from the perimeter. | Faris al-Qidra, who was on shift with al-Najjar when she died, said she and four others had gone to rescue a man smashed in the face with a teargas canister 20 metres from the perimeter. |
| “He was crying out, ‘Help me,’” recounted the 31-year-old paramedic. Al-Najjar was always ready to go forward, he said, even when soldiers fired warning shots. “The soldiers usually scream for us to go back.” | “He was crying out, ‘Help me,’” recounted the 31-year-old paramedic. Al-Najjar was always ready to go forward, he said, even when soldiers fired warning shots. “The soldiers usually scream for us to go back.” |
| That day, he heard three shots. A photograph taken shortly after shows men carrying al-Najjar’s body, her lifeless hands in surgical gloves. | That day, he heard three shots. A photograph taken shortly after shows men carrying al-Najjar’s body, her lifeless hands in surgical gloves. |
| Leading up to her death, al-Najjar had become an icon in Gaza, with dozens of images published online of the woman who wore colourful headscarves and a resolute expression on her face. | Leading up to her death, al-Najjar had become an icon in Gaza, with dozens of images published online of the woman who wore colourful headscarves and a resolute expression on her face. |
| Often she was photographed with her white coat splattered with the blood of her patients, and one photo shows her anxiously kneeling over a young man, feverishly bandaging his bleeding head. | Often she was photographed with her white coat splattered with the blood of her patients, and one photo shows her anxiously kneeling over a young man, feverishly bandaging his bleeding head. |
| “I’m here at the frontline as a human shield and rescuer for the injured,” she told one reporter in an interview. To another, she complained how her society often judged women. “But society has to accept us. If they don’t want to accept us by choice, they will be forced to. Because we have more strength than any man.” | “I’m here at the frontline as a human shield and rescuer for the injured,” she told one reporter in an interview. To another, she complained how her society often judged women. “But society has to accept us. If they don’t want to accept us by choice, they will be forced to. Because we have more strength than any man.” |
| Her teenage years were scarred by warfare. She was still a child when the 2008 war broke out, 16 during the next round of hostilities and 17 in the seven-week 2014 conflict when her neighbourhood of Khuza’a suffered some of Gaza’s worst devastation. | Her teenage years were scarred by warfare. She was still a child when the 2008 war broke out, 16 during the next round of hostilities and 17 in the seven-week 2014 conflict when her neighbourhood of Khuza’a suffered some of Gaza’s worst devastation. |
| “Razan did not like to see suffering,” said her mother, Sabrine, sitting among grieving relatives in her living room, where solar-powered lights hung from wires on the ceiling. “We have experienced too many wars. She wanted to be able to help.” | “Razan did not like to see suffering,” said her mother, Sabrine, sitting among grieving relatives in her living room, where solar-powered lights hung from wires on the ceiling. “We have experienced too many wars. She wanted to be able to help.” |
| So close is their district to the frontier that al-Najjar would have been able to see Israel soldiers stationed a few hundred metres from her home. And in the road, four-metre concrete walls have been erected to shield residents from incoming fire. | So close is their district to the frontier that al-Najjar would have been able to see Israel soldiers stationed a few hundred metres from her home. And in the road, four-metre concrete walls have been erected to shield residents from incoming fire. |
| Her father is an unemployed motorbike mechanic, although he used to work at a scrap metal business in Israel when more Palestinian workers were allowed to cross. The family of eight lived in an apartment owned by relatives. | Her father is an unemployed motorbike mechanic, although he used to work at a scrap metal business in Israel when more Palestinian workers were allowed to cross. The family of eight lived in an apartment owned by relatives. |
| With university unaffordable, al-Najjar found free opportunities where she could, including a calligraphy class and a nursing course. “I was always pushing her. I was just like her, keen to learn. I wanted to give her space and freedom,” said Sabrine. | With university unaffordable, al-Najjar found free opportunities where she could, including a calligraphy class and a nursing course. “I was always pushing her. I was just like her, keen to learn. I wanted to give her space and freedom,” said Sabrine. |
| After news broke of her death, another volunteer, 23-year-old ambulance worker Izzat Shatat, said he and al-Najjar had planned to announce their engagement after Ramadan. | After news broke of her death, another volunteer, 23-year-old ambulance worker Izzat Shatat, said he and al-Najjar had planned to announce their engagement after Ramadan. |
| Israel accuses Hamas, which rules Gaza and backs the rallies, of using demonstrations as cover to carry out attacks. Kites rigged with flaming cans of petrol have been flown into Israel to torch agricultural fields, and explosives have damaged the fence. | Israel accuses Hamas, which rules Gaza and backs the rallies, of using demonstrations as cover to carry out attacks. Kites rigged with flaming cans of petrol have been flown into Israel to torch agricultural fields, and explosives have damaged the fence. |
| A preliminary Israeli investigation found “no shots were deliberately or directly aimed toward” al-Najjar. | A preliminary Israeli investigation found “no shots were deliberately or directly aimed toward” al-Najjar. |
| And Israeli military and government officials have sought to discredit al-Najjar, accusing her of helping “terrorists”. On Thursday, a spokesman for the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, shared a video with accompanying text asking: “Was Razan al-Najjar just a medic?” | And Israeli military and government officials have sought to discredit al-Najjar, accusing her of helping “terrorists”. On Thursday, a spokesman for the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, shared a video with accompanying text asking: “Was Razan al-Najjar just a medic?” |
| Sabrine believes her daughter was targeted. She held up Razan’s jacket, which was once white but it now brownish with dried blood. “Palestinian Medical Relief Society” is written on the back and a small bullet hole is visible. | Sabrine believes her daughter was targeted. She held up Razan’s jacket, which was once white but it now brownish with dried blood. “Palestinian Medical Relief Society” is written on the back and a small bullet hole is visible. |
| “This [jacket] was the weapon she had,” said Sabrine sarcastically. “This was her terrorist badge,” she said, showing her daughter’s medical ID. “These were her explosives,” she adds, pulling out bandages Razan kept in her pockets. | “This [jacket] was the weapon she had,” said Sabrine sarcastically. “This was her terrorist badge,” she said, showing her daughter’s medical ID. “These were her explosives,” she adds, pulling out bandages Razan kept in her pockets. |
| “She was close enough to talk to the soldiers. Does she look like a terrorist?” | “She was close enough to talk to the soldiers. Does she look like a terrorist?” |
| Israeli forces have killed 120 Palestinians during the recent violence, Palestinian health officials say. More than 3,600 have been shot with live ammunition, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The vast majority of casualties have been unarmed, with journalists and teenagers among the dead. | Israeli forces have killed 120 Palestinians during the recent violence, Palestinian health officials say. More than 3,600 have been shot with live ammunition, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The vast majority of casualties have been unarmed, with journalists and teenagers among the dead. |
| Three more people, including a 15-year old boy, were shot dead by Israeli troops during fresh protests on Friday. | |
| Protests have focused on lifting a decade-long Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the territory and residents have demanded a right of return for Palestinian refugee families to ancestral homes in Israel. | Protests have focused on lifting a decade-long Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the territory and residents have demanded a right of return for Palestinian refugee families to ancestral homes in Israel. |
| In Khuza’a, streets and shops are filled with references of displacement. Along one road, there is a “Factory of Return”, a “Bakery of Return”, a “Coffee of Return”. | In Khuza’a, streets and shops are filled with references of displacement. Along one road, there is a “Factory of Return”, a “Bakery of Return”, a “Coffee of Return”. |
| Al-Najjar’s killing has reverberated through the community. On Monday, Israeli forces shot and killed a relative as he tried to cut through the metal fence. “He wanted to retaliate for Razan,” said a resident. “He planned to throw stones at [an Israeli army] jeep and set tyres on fire on the Israeli side.” | Al-Najjar’s killing has reverberated through the community. On Monday, Israeli forces shot and killed a relative as he tried to cut through the metal fence. “He wanted to retaliate for Razan,” said a resident. “He planned to throw stones at [an Israeli army] jeep and set tyres on fire on the Israeli side.” |
| Palestinian political factions have sought to involve themselves in the national grief over al-Najjar. A large poster at the protest camp shows her face next to an image of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. | Palestinian political factions have sought to involve themselves in the national grief over al-Najjar. A large poster at the protest camp shows her face next to an image of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. |
| Her mother sits surrounded by posters from other political parties as well as medical charities that want to express their condolences. | Her mother sits surrounded by posters from other political parties as well as medical charities that want to express their condolences. |
| “She thought the white coat would protect her,” she said, clasping the jacket. “The whole world knows what it means.” | “She thought the white coat would protect her,” she said, clasping the jacket. “The whole world knows what it means.” |
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