Dear,
Nearly twenty years ago, Tom Hurndall was shot in the head by an Israeli military sniper as he was rescuing several small children from Israeli gunfire.
Tom, 22, was a student, photographer, and peace activist volunteering for the International Solidarity Movement. He traveled to Gaza in 2003 as a photojournalist, hoping to document Palestinians’ oppressive living conditions.
On April 11, 2003, Tom saw a group of children, aged four to seven, playing in the street when rifle fire from Israeli soldiers suddenly broke out and began hitting the ground between them. Some of the children escaped, but three remained still, frozen with fear.
Tom rushed one to safety, but as he returned for two small girls, an Israeli sniper shot him in the head. Tom was wearing an orange, fluorescent vest to mark himself as an unarmed foreign civilian.
In spite of the urgent circumstances, Tom’s transport to specialized medical care was delayed by Israeli officials for over two and a half hours. He was in a persistent vegetative state until his death nine months later.
Commemorating Tom’s Work
We have cards to commemorate Tom which you can distribute to your community to help share his story. The text on the back side of our card has valuable information on Palestine.
Tom’s bravery and compassion should not be forgotten. Neither should the daily struggles of Gaza’s Palestinians that he was working to show the world.
We also provide this important documentary on our YouTube channel for you to view and share. Filmed by a British TV crew in Gaza in real time, it covers Tom’s shooting, the killing of filmmaker James Miller, and the aftermath of Rachel Corrie’s death by an Israeli bulldozer.
Lastly, you may wish to read the powerful account by Tom’s mother: My Son Tom: The Life and Tragic Death of Tom Hurndall.
Thank you for your help in informing Americans about this tragic violence.
-The If Americans Knew Team