Peace activist shot by Israelis is named

A British peace activist shot in the head by Israeli troops while protecting women and children has been named by the Foreign Office.

Thomas Hurndall, thought to be in his early 20s and possibly from the Manchester area, is believed to be brain dead but still breathing, according to the International Solidarity Movement (IMS).

A Foreign Office spokeswoman confirmed that Mr Hurndall's family had been informed.

He was apparently shot by Israeli guards at a checkpoint in Rafah, after gunfire led his group of nine activists to abandon their planned protest.

Tom Wallace of the IMS said the incident happened in a residential area, and local children had come to watch the activists' protest, as they often did.

He said shots were being fired over the protesters' heads from one of two Israeli watch-towers nearby.

"The activists and all the women and kids decided to move away from the area," Mr Wallace said.

"They were moving very slowly, and he was standing in front of the women and kids to protect them while they were moving.

"They were trying to evacuate the area and that is when he was shot."

Mr Hurndall is due to be transferred to another hospital after initially being taken to the intensive care unit in Khan Younis.

US activist Rachel Corrie was killed last month while working with the same group when she fell in front of an Israeli bulldozer.

The group's claims that the bulldozer ran her over were denied by the Israeli military, which said the driver did not see her.

Brian Avery, 24, another of the group's American activists, was shot in the West Bank city of Jenin last week.

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