Palestinian Protesters Face Years of Agony After Israeli Sniper Injuries

Two Palestinian men shot by Israeli snipers during the 2018 Great March of Return continue to suffer severe medical complications. Muhammad Hussein and Khamis Fojo were both injured months apart, but their struggles with infections and amputations have persisted for years. Their cases highlight the long-term consequences of their injuries. Muhammad Hussein, then 19, was filming the protests in Rafah on 11 May 2018 as part of a university assignment when an Israeli sniper shot him in the knee. After an eight-hour emergency operation, he initially hoped for a full recovery. But two weeks later, doctors discovered inflammation and gangrene, forcing them to amputate his leg above the knee—the day after his 20th birthday.

Over the past five years, Hussein has endured three amputations, yet the infection keeps spreading, now threatening his life. He applied for permission to seek specialised treatment in Jerusalem or the West Bank but was denied by Israeli authorities.

Khamis Fojo was shot above the knee on 27 July 2018, over a kilometre from the boundary fence. The injury led to a bacterial infection so severe that he fell into a coma for two weeks. Since then, he has undergone eight amputations in five years.

The physical and psychological toll has been devastating. Fojo rarely leaves his home, battling anxiety and anger. Both men remain trapped in a cycle of medical crises with little access to adequate care. Five years on, Hussein and Fojo still face life-threatening complications from their injuries. Repeated amputations and untreated infections have left them with lasting physical and mental trauma. Without access to advanced medical treatment, their conditions remain critical.