Palestinian journalist Saif Al Qawasmi was beaten by dozens of extremist settlers during the march. / Photo: AFP
Shir says the mobs assaulted them as well and threatened them using abusive language and “wishing us to be raped by Hamas”. While the bloody onslaught on Gaza continues unabated for the past eight months, and the Israeli army carries out series of massacres in the most densely populated areas of the besieged enclave, settler lynch mobs attacked several Palestinians and severely injured journalists in Jerusalem on June 5.
Shir and her co-volunteers saw journalists being attacked by the mobs. Among the injured were Palestinian journalist Saif Al Qawasmi. While the Israeli police department said they deployed 3,000 personnel “to secure the march,” Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, who also oversees the Jerusalem police, urged the marchers on a radio show a day before the event to go to Al Aqsa.
The 11-day military offensive claimed over 260 lives, left 22,000 buildings damaged, and displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians.