When a Palestinian fighter was mortally wounded in an Israeli strike at Khan Yunis, only one thing was on his mind.
Israeli channel Youm7 broadcast on Friday footage documenting the killing of a Palestinian Resistance fighter by an Israeli shell in southern Gaza.
Israeli Channel 13 claimed that the video was taken in the center of the city of Khan Yunis on Thursday and that the Palestinian Resistance fighter was targeted by a warplane belonging to the 55th Reserve Brigade.
أراد فقط أن يلقى ربه شهيداً ساجدا#غزة مصنع الأبطال والشهداء وجند الله pic.twitter.com/SKZ8KnlbkG
— Nezam Mahdawi نظام المهداوي (@NezamMahdawi) December 29, 2023
The video showed the young man running in a street in Khan Yunis before being hit by shrapnel in his back.
When he realized that he had been wounded, the Palestinian fighter knelt down next to a house.
And when realized that he had sustained mortal wounds, he assumed the prayer position.
The Palestinian fighter was seen struggling as he moved slowly in order for him to kneel down for prayer. Then, he raised his right finger to the sky and began praying.
The last minutes of the video showed the fighter bowing down to God, and dying while kneeling down for prayer.
The video and story went viral on social media, inspiring Palestinian and pro-Palestinian activists, who saw the man’s faith as a representation of the collective strength of the Palestinian people.
Some commented that the Israeli channel had most likely shown the clip as a sign of victory for the invading Israeli army, generating, instead, a sign of an assured victory for the Palestinians.
GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY: 21,672 Palestinians have been killed, and 56,165 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
FOLLOW OUR LIVE BLOG:https://t.co/aSDtxLKglO pic.twitter.com/AhnQQPitv5
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 30, 2023
On the day the video was taken, the Israeli army committed a massacre in Khan Yunis, demolishing buildings and civilian infrastructure.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 21,672 Palestinians have been killed, and 56,165 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
Palestinian and international estimates say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
