Palestinian journalist Ahmed Abu Hussein succumbed to his wounds after being shot by Israeli snipers while covering mass protests near Gaza’s eastern border

Thousands in Gaza today attended the funeral of Palestinian journalist Ahmed Abu Hussein, who died of wounds he sustained two weeks ago while covering the mass Great March of Return protests near Gaza’s eastern border.

 

Abu Hussein was documenting the marches in the Abu Safiya area east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip when he was shot in the abdomen by an Israeli sniper.

 

Due to the severity of his injury Abu Hussein was transferred to the Ramallah Governmental Hospital in the West Bank, where he passed away.

 

Abu Hussein is the second journalist to be killed while covering the protests in Gaza. On 6 April Palestinian photographer Yaser Murtaja was shot in the abdomen near Gaza’s border with Israel while wearing a blue flak jacket with the word “PRESS” clearly written on it. He died from his wounds in hospital the following day.

 

Several other journalists have also been injured while covering the mass protests – Israeli authorities have said they are investigating the attacks.

 

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, 40 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of the Great March of Return on 30 March and 5,511 others have been injured.