The photo below, taken by Eva Bartlett in Gaza, and posted on Facebook, shows Said Hamdan, age 15, who was shot this morning in the Gaza Strip, by Israeli forces in a watchtower. Eva writes: "Said Hamdan, 15, went to near the northern border to collect scrap metal. Had he not been shot by the IOF [Israeli Occupation Forces], he might have earned 20 shekels, if lucky, to add to his incomeless family's needs. Seven brothers, five sisters, an unemployed father, and no prospect of work in Gaza under siege, Said went to where many other youths and men go daily to gather anything recyclable and sellable. It was his first day."
Maan news agency also reported on the shooting. I post the picture because just this afternoon Baroness Catherine Ashton, the EU "foreign minister" issued a typical, bland, cautious statement saying:"I am extremely concerned at the current reports of violence taking place in and around the Gaza border with Israel, and deeply regret the loss of life. I call on both Israelis and Palestinians to exercise restraint and call for a complete halt to all violence. Such actions undermine current efforts to facilitate a resumption of the peace process. An urgent resumption of negotiations remains crucial."
My question to Lady Ashton is this: what sort of "restraint" should Said have exercised to avoid being randomly shot by armed Israeli thugs in a watchtower? The fact is such shootings are a daily occurrence, and just because the *western* media do not report them, does not mean they don't happen. Said was "lucky." He survived.
Also, today, six Palestinians including a child (who suffered serious wounds) were injured by Israeli shelling of Khan Yunis refugee camp.
Photo: Eva Bartlett