Palestinians stage rally to decry disabled man’s murder

By Nour Abu Aisha, Mahmoud Barakat

GAZA CITY, Palestine

Handicapped Gazans staged a demonstration on Thursday to condemn last week’s murder of Ibrahim abu Thuraya, a disabled Palestinian man, by Israeli security forces.

Held outside UNESCO’s Gaza City office, the demonstration was organized by the National Center for Community Rehabilitation (NCCR), a local NGO.

Dozens of protesters raised banners reading, “Protecting the handicapped is an international duty.”

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, NCCR Executive Manager Fatma al-Ghasin said the demonstration was meant to “send a message to international rights groups that abu Thuraya’s murder must be investigated”.

Pointing out that abu Thuraya had been taking part in a peaceful demonstration at the time of his martyrdom, al-Ghasin urged the international community to protect Palestinian civilians -- especially the handicapped -- in line with international laws and conventions.

According to the NCCR, the Israeli army has targeted some 800 handicapped Palestinians since 2000.

Thursday’s rally was also intended to express condemnation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital -- a move that has drawn widespread condemnation from across the Arab and Muslim world.

Last Friday, abu Thuraya was martyred when he was shot in the head by Israeli army troops during a demonstration in eastern Gaza to protest Trump’s decision on Jerusalem.

Abu Thuraya, 29, had already lost both his legs to an Israeli airstrike in 2008.