Tom Hurndall has died

Tom Hurndall, a peace activist shot in the Holy Land, died in a London hospital last night after almost eight months on a life support machine.

Tom, 22, was shot by an Israeli soldier in Yebna near Rafah Camp south of Gaza Strip on April 12 while escorting two Palestinian children across a road.

Tom had been in a persistent vegetative state since being shot, and succumbed to pneumonia.

The soldier who shot Tom is facing several charges. According to the Israeli daily paper, Haaretz, he was recently charged with aggravated assault, but the military judge handling the case told the family's lawyer in Tel Aviv that the charge was likely to be revised to murder or manslaughter after Hurndall's death.

The soldier, who has not been named, has also been charged with obstruction of justice. The soldier is alleged to have asked for permission to open fire after he had shot Hurndall in the back of his head. He is also alleged to have lied about the incident when questioned about it afterward.

Tom Hurndall is not the only International Peace Activist killed by the Israeli Army. On March 16 last year, Rachel Corrie 23, from Washington State, was crushed by a bulldozer in the same area.

So far the Israeli authorities have refused to investigate her death. Hurndall joined the International Solidarity Movement on April 5, 2003, one week before he was shot.

Source: ISM