US Lawmakers Urge Israeli Soldiers to Stop Shooting Unarmed Palestinians

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A group of US lawmakers in a statement called on the Israeli military not to shoot live ammunition at Palestinians participating in large scale demonstrations in Gaza.

"We also urge Israeli soldiers to refrain from shooting live ammunition at unarmed Palestinian protesters from hundreds of meters away, across the fence separating the two territories," the statement said on Thursday.

The statement was put out by US House Representatives Mark Pocan, Pramila Jayapal, Keith Ellison, Barbara Lee, and Henry Johnson.

The Congress members stressed Gaza protesters should exercise their right of peaceful assembly and members of Israel Defense Forces should obey the international law.

Moreover, the lawmakers expressed their support for Israeli human rights groups that are calling "on Israeli soldiers to resist such illegal orders from their superiors."

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been rallying along the border with Israel, in a protest dubbed the Great March of Return, to demand access to native land that was used to create the state of Israel. Live fire by soldiers has killed around 30 Palestinians and hurt over a thousand. The IDF blames Hamas for provocations.