5th June 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Al Khalil Team | Al Khalil, Occupied Palestine
On the 5th of May, clashes between Israeli occupation forces and young Palestinians, took place in the Palestinian village, Ofer, located just south of Ramallah. Between 3:30 pm. and 8 pm. the area bordering up to the incarceration facility, Ofer Penitentiary was heavily tear gassed by the Israeli military and border police.
This area constitutes the arena of weekly protests, by Palestinians against the imprisonment of minors.
Ofer Penitentiary has at several occasions been the center of attention due to the extraordinary amount of under age-prisoners, they hold. Further more human rights organizations has accused the place of violating the Rights of the Child and the UN Standard Minimum Rules.
The Israeli occupation forces unloaded hundreds of tear gas canisters throughout the day as well as rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition. One Palestinian got shot in the leg with live ammo. Two others were injured, as occupation forces hit them with tear gas canisters.
The first one fell, with an open wound in his stomach, and the soldiers fired another round of teargas at the spot, making it difficult and dangerous for medics to reach the young man. With the help of protesters however, the man was dragged out of the fog of cs-gas and brought to the nearest hospital before he suffocated.
