Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called for an investigation into why Israeli soldiers shot a Canadian doctor in Gaza.
Dr. Tarek Loubani was in the Gaza Strip Sunday providing medical services to protesters when Israeli soldiers shot him multiple times in his legs. Loubani, who was wearing clothing that identified him as a medical services provider, survived the shooting,
The incident happened during a protest against the U.S. embassy opening in Jerusalem in which Israeli soldiers killed at least 59 Palestinians and wounded many others.
"Canada deplores and is gravely concerned by the violence in the Gaza Strip that has led to a tragic loss of life and injured countless people," Trudeau said in a statement. "We are appalled that Dr. Tarek Loubani, a Canadian citizen, is among the wounded -- along with so many unarmed people, including civilians, members of the media, first responders, and children."
Trudeau added: "Reported use of excessive force and live ammunition is inexcusable. It is imperative we establish the facts of what is happening in Gaza. Canada calls for an immediate independent investigation to thoroughly examine the facts on the ground -- including any incitement, violence, and the excessive use of force.
Loubani is an emergency physician at the London Health Sciences Centre in Ontario, Canada, according to the Toronto Star. He was working with the Shifa Hospital in Gaza when he went to the protest location to provide emergency medical attention to victims who were attacked by the Israeli Defense Forces.
In a post on Medium, Loubani gave his account of the events that day.
"There was so much live fire that the first responder services stood outside the protest area and only approached when needed. In general, we approached with high visibility clothing and hands up until we arrived at the incident," Loubani wrote.
He continued: "The snipers were situated east of us. I was wearing visible full hospital greens. There was no active shooting from the Israelis immediately before or after. There were no protesters in our immediate vicinity. I heard a loud bang and found myself on the ground. The bullet had entered my left proximal calf on the lateral side, exited on the medial side (moderate) and pierced my right knee superficial to the patella (minor). I yelled [expletive]."
Several nations, including those on the U.N. Security Council, supported a proposal for an investigation into Israel's actions on Sunday.
But the United States, a permanent member of the Security Council with veto power, blocked the proposal on Tuesday.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
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