RAMALLAH/GAZA, June 10 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian Authority (PA) official condemned on Monday the Israeli killing of a Palestinian paramedic in northern Gaza Strip, saying that the killing is a "war crime."
"Opening fire by the Israeli soldiers at an ambulance officer and critically wounding him in the face is a war crime," said the PA Minister of Health Mai Alkaila in a statement.
She accused that Israeli army's opening fire deliberately at paramedics and medical teams who carry out their humanitarian duties "is clearly a war crime and a violation to all international treaties and conventions."
On Monday afternoon, a Palestinian paramedic succumbed of serious wounds sustained from Israeli soldiers' gunfire, the Health Ministry said in a press statement.
The statement said that Mohammad al-Jedeily, 36, died in a hospital in the West Bank of critical face wounds he had on May 3 by Israeli soldiers' gunfire.
The paramedic was participating in medical teams to rescue Palestinian demonstrators during the weekly anti-Israel rallies and protests, better known as the "Great March of Return."
Al-Jedeily is the fourth Palestinian paramedic that is killed by Israeli soldiers' gunfire since the start of the protests in March last year in the Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel.
The Health Ministry in Gaza said that since the protests started, Israeli army killed 307 Palestinians and wounded by gunfire more than 17,000 others. More than 120 had their limbs amputated.
Organizers of the protests are calling on Israel to end the blockade imposed on the impoverished coastal enclave since 2007.
