Well-known Palestinian journalist Yasser Murtaja dies as Israel border clash escalates
Military says it fired only at ‘instigators’ and it will investigate the circumstances of reporter’s death
Hundreds, including Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, attended the funeral of a well-known Palestinian journalist in Gaza on Saturday who was killed while covering mass protests along the Israeli border the previous day.
Yasser Murtaja died from a gunshot wound he sustained while filming on Friday in an area engulfed in thick black smoke from protesters setting tyres on fire. Israeli troops opened fire from across the border, killing at least nine Palestinians and wounding 491 others in the second mass border protest in eight days. The deaths brought to at least 31 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since last week.
Murtaja was more than 100 metres from the border, wearing a flak jacket marked “press” and holding his camera when he was shot in an exposed area just below the armpit.
The Israeli military has said it fired only at “instigators” involved in attacks on soldiers. It said it was investigating the circumstances of Murtaja’s death.
