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Razan Ashraf Abdul Qadir al-Najjar (11 September 1996 – 1 June 2018), the eldest of six children born to Ashraf al-Najjar (b. 1974), was a Palestinian nurse volunteering in the Gaza health ministry. She was a resident of Khuzaa, a village near the border with Israel.

She was fatally shot in the chest by an Israeli soldier as she, with her arms raised to show she was unarmed, tried to help evacuate the wounded near Israel's border fence with Gaza. Israel denies that any fire was directed at the nurse. However, they have not yet ruled out that she was hit by indirect fire.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released footage of an interview of al-Najar with Lebanese media which was misleadingly edited to show Al-Najar "admitting" she had come to the protest to act as human shield against the Israeli soldiers, supposedly at Hamas' request. The IDF was widely criticized for selectively editing the video to chip away at her image, as in unedited version of the video, she makes no mention whatsoever of Hamas and describes herself as a "rescuing human shield to protect and save the wounded at the front lines" (with the entire quote, except for "human shield", removed from the IDF's release).

Further footage showing her throwing a supposed tear-gas canister at a distance of some 100 metres from the border, was also released by the Israeli army. Calling the video "tightly edited", The New York Times estimated that the footage was not taken on the day she was killed and stated "the canister does not appear to be aimed at anyone."

Volunteer

Her formal training after volunteering was as a paramedic in Khan Younis at Nasser Hospital and she became an active member of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, a non-governmental health organization. She wore the white coat of the medics and a medics vest with bandages, and was attending those wounded during protests at the border fence between Gaza and Israel during Ramadan.

In video footage released by the Israeli army on the 7 June 2018, Najar is seen saying "I'm here on the line being a protective human shield saving the injured", and throwing a smoke grenade towards Israeli forces. But Israel Defense Forces clip cut her statement after she said: "human shield". Media commentators described the IDF's release of selectively edited videos against Al-Najar as "a coordinated smear campaign" and part of a "narrative battle".

U.N. recognition

On June 2, 2018, a group of agencies at United Nations in New York City issued a press release expressing their anguish over her death, calling al-Najjar "a clearly identified medical staffer," and stating that the killing of the nurse was "particularly reprehensible". The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process singled her case out for attention, tweeting "Medical workers are #NotATarget!".

Israeli military spokespersons responded, but provided no official report on the shooting; they did say that the facts would be investigated. Israel had repeatedly warned that anyone approaching the fence risked death. The Gazans were calling this a peaceful protest while the Israelis referred to the protests as riots. The protests began March 30, 2018. On June 1, a UN Security Council resolution proposed condemning the state of Israel for use of "excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force" against Palestinian protesters at the border fence. It was vetoed by a permanent member of the UN security council and key ally of Israel, the United States.

Death

Razan was a first responder at the "Great March of Return" that resulted in the 2018 Gaza border protests. On June 1, 2018, while wearing her clearly identifiable white medics uniform with her hands raised in the air as a sign that she was unarmed, Razan ran towards an injured Palestinian protester in order to treat them. However, she only got as far as 100 meters away from the border before she was fatally shot by an Israeli sniper on the other side of the wall.

She was 21 years old at the time of her death. Iyad Abuheweila, a journalist, interviewed her during the protests. Ms. Najjar was a fixture at the Khan Younis camp and spoke about her role at the fence, relishing in the idea that a woman could brave the dangers.

"In our society women are often judged," she said. "But society has to accept us. If they don't want to accept us by choice, they will be forced to accept us because we have more strength than any man."

"The strength that I showed the first day of the protests, I dare you to find it in anyone else." Thousands of Gazans attended her funeral along with hundreds of medical personnel, with her body being wrapped in a Palestinian flag. Her father carried her blood-stained medical jacket, while other mourners demanded revenge.

Razan's death came before she and her fiancé Izzat Shatat were to announce their engagement at the end of Ramadan.

On June 1, 2018, her cousin Ramzi al-Najjar was also shot and killed by Israeli forces after he hacked his way through Israel's border fence with Gaza.

Israeli response

After initially reporting that an internal review showed that al-Najjar was not intentionally targeted, the IDF released video that purportedly showed al-Najjar admitting to being a human shield, with an IDF spokesman saying "Razan al-Najjar is not the angel of mercy Hamas propaganda is making her out to be." The video that was released misleadingly took a prior interview that al-Najjar gave to a Lebanese television station out of context. She had said "I’m here on the line being a protective human shield saving the injured" and added she was at the protests to "save the wounded at the front lines", however the IDF released video cut out everything past "human shield". The Israeli military was widely criticized for its efforts in manipulating the video, with commentators drawing parallels to past instances of the IDF manipulating or otherwise faking evidence in the past. A spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister denied that editing the video was "political manipulation". The edited video was also shared by the Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Israeli army also released footage that appeared to show al-Najjar throwing a tear-gas canister toward Israeli positions. Calling the video "tightly edited", The New York Times estimated that the footage was not taken on the day she was killed and stated "the canister does not appear to be aimed at anyone."

References

1. ^ Abunimah, Ali (2018-06-02). "Gaza medic killed by Israel as she rescued injured". The Electronic Intifada. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
2. ^ "Protests resume after Palestinian paramedic's Gaza funeral". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-06-05.
3. Ahronheim, Anna (5 June 2018). "IDF says no direct fire was aimed at Gazan nurse killed Friday". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
4. ^ McKernan, Bethan (8 June 2018). "Israeli army edits video of Palestinian medic its troops shot dead to misleadingly show she was 'human shield for Hamas'". The Independent. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
5. ^ Mackey, Robert (8 June 2018). "Israel Attempts to Smear Razan al-Najjar, Palestinian Medic It Killed, Calling Her "No Angel"". The Intercept. Retrieved 9 June 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
6. ^ Pileggi, Tamar. "After saying it shot medic by accident, IDF claims she was 'no angel'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
7. ^ Buchsbaum, Herbet (7 June 2018). "Israeli Video Portrays Medic Killed in Gaza as Tool of Hamas". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
8. ^ Abuheweila, Iyad; Kershner, Isabel (1 June 2018). "A Woman Dedicated to Saving Lives Loses Hers in Gaza Violence". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 June 2018 – via NYTimes.com. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
9. Kubovich, Yaniv (8 June 2018). "Israeli Army: Video Shows Killed Gaza Medic Throwing Gas Canister". Haaretz. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
10. "WHO EMRO - UN agencies deeply concerned over killing of health volunteer in Gaza - Palestine-news - Palestine". www.emro.who.int. Retrieved 4 June 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
11. O'Grady, Siobhán (2 June 2018). "A Palestinian medic was shot dead in Gaza. Now Israel says it will investigate". Retrieved 4 June 2018 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
12. Ahronheim, Anna (2 June 2018). "IDF investigating shooting death of Palestinian nurse in Gaza protests". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
13. Lubell, Maayan. "Israeli military says to probe killing of Gaza nurse". reuters.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
14. "Palestinian female paramedic killed in anti-Israel rally in eastern Gaza - Xinhua - English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
15. Gladstone, Rick (1 June 2018). "U.S. Vetoes U.N. Resolution on Gaza, Fails to Win Second Vote on its Own Measure". Retrieved 4 June 2018 – via NYTimes.com. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
16. Akram, Fares (2 June 2018). "Protests resume after funeral for Palestinian paramedic killed by Israeli troops", Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
17. Lee, Ian; van Heerden, Dominique (3 June 2018). "'Her only weapon was her medical vest': Palestinians mourn death of nurse killed by Israeli forces", CNN. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
18. "Gaza violence: Thousands attend funeral for Palestinian medic". BBC News. Retrieved 2018-06-03.
19. Khoudary, Hind (2 June 2018). "Thousands in Gaza mourn Palestinian paramedic killed by Israel". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 6 June 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
20. "UN official condemns 'reprehensible' killing of Gaza medic". timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
21. Mohanna, Nagham (6 June 2018). "Rage at Israel's killing of unarmed Palestinians boils over in Gaza". The National. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
22. "Israeli Soldiers Kill Cousin of Slain Palestinian Medic Razan al-Najjar". Democracy Now!. Retrieved 2018-06-08.

• 1996 births
• 2018 deaths
• Palestinian nurses
• Palestinian war casualties
• People of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
• People from the Gaza Strip
• Deaths by firearm in the Gaza Strip