Israel accused of using ‘expanding bullets’ designed to permanently maim Palestinian protesters
The European Union and others have called for an investigation into Israel’s response but the Jewish state has rejected the idea
When Palestinian Mohammed al-Mughari was shot by an Israeli sniper on the Gaza border, it left a hole in his leg so big he says he could fit a finger into it.
Over a month into mass protests, more than 40 Palestinians have been killed and at least 1,500 wounded by Israeli fire during the “Great March of Return”, a major protest movement along the border between Gaza and Israel.
Doctors are troubled by the high number of disabling wounds, especially to the legs and knees, with Israel facing questions over both its disproportionate use of force and the types of ammunition it is using against demonstrators.
Three weeks after being shot, 28-year-old Mughari’s leg is propped up and wrapped in plaster, but he’s not in the clear yet. He knows there is still a possibility it might need to be amputated.
The bullet destroyed “30 centimetres of bone in the leg”, he said from his hospital bed in Gaza City.
Since March 30, thousands of Palestinians have gathered every Friday at points along the border separating the besieged Gaza Strip and Israel.
The marchers are demanding the right to return to their homes seized by Israel in 1948.