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Photos:
Maps of Gaza demonstrations. Published by Haaretz

Hussein Mohammad Madhi, 16. Published by IMEMC News
Ibrahim al-‘Orr, 20. Published by IMEMC News
Mohammad Sa’id Mousa al-Hajj Saleh. Published by IMEMC News
Osama Qdeih. Published by IMEMC News
Majdi Shbat. Published by IMEMC News
Osama Qdeih. Published by IMEMC News
Wounded medic. Published by IMEMC News
Injured Gazan. Published by IMEMC News
Majdi Shatat. Published by IMEMC News

Palestinian demonstrators shout during clashes with Israeli troops at a protest at the Israel-Gaza border east of Gaza City, April 6, 2018.\ Credit: MOHAMMED SALEM/ REUTERS. Published by Haaretz

Palestinian men carry an injured protester after clashes with Israeli forces at the Israel-Gaza border, April 6, 2018. Credit: MAHMUD HAMS/AFP. Published by Haaretz

Israeli forces are deployed near Kibbutz Nir Oz at the Gaza-Israel border where tire fire smoke billows from the Palestinian camp near Khan Yunis, April 6, 2018. Credit: MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP. Published by Haaretz

A Palestinian man wearing an Anonymous mask prepares to protest with onions to the effects of tear gas at the Israel-Gaza border, April 6, 2018.
Credit: SAID KHATIB/AFP. Published by Haaretz

Palestinian protesters cover during clashes with Israeli troops along Gaza's border with Israel, east of Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Thursday, April 5, 2018 Credit: Adel Hana/AP. Published by Haaretz
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by IMEMC News
April 6, 2018 8:14 PM

Updated: The Palestinian Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip has confirmed that Israeli soldiers killed, Friday, seven Palestinians, including one child, and injured 992 others, in several parts of the coastal region. An eighth Palestinian died from serious wounds suffered last Friday.

Update: The soldiers killed Ala’ Yahya az-Zamily, 17, after shooting him with a live round in his neck, east of Rafah. Ala’ was from Shaboura refugee camp, in Rafah.

It said that Mohammad Sa’id Mousa al-Hajj Saleh, 33, from Rafah, in southern Gaza Strip, was shot with live Israeli army fire in the abdomen and chest, east of the city, during evening hours.

The Ministry stated that the child, identified as Hussein Mohammad Madhi, 16, was killed by Israeli army fire, on Friday evening, east of Gaza city.

Another Palestinian, identified as Sidqi Faraj Abu ‘Oteiwi, 45, from Nusseirat refugee camp, in central Gaza, was also killed by Israeli army fire.

Also, the soldiers killed Ibrahim al-‘Orr, 20, in central Gaza.

Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza, said the soldiers shot 1070 Palestinians, 551 of them were rushed to the make-shift clinics on Palestinian lands hundreds of meters away from the border fence.

He added that 442 wounded Palestinians were rushed to governmental hospitals, and 77 to private hospitals. Among the injured are 48 children, and 12 women.

25 Palestinians suffered life-threatening injuries, and 239 suffered moderate wounds, in several parts of the Gaza Strip.

The soldiers also continued to deliberately target the Palestinian medic, and their ambulance, especially east of Rafah, with Gaza bombs, wounding seven of them.

In addition, the Health Ministry and the Red Crescent in Gaza have confirmed that the soldiers killed Majdi Ramadan Shbat, 38, east of Gaza city, after shooting him with a live round in the neck, while Osama Khamis Qdeih, 38, from Abasan al-Kabeera town, east of Khan Younis, was also killed by army fire.

On Friday morning, the Palestinian Health Ministry has reported that a young man, identified as Tha’er Mohammad Rabe’a, 30, died from serious wounds he suffered when Israeli soldiers shot him with live fire, last Friday March 30th, in northern Gaza.

Palestinian journalist Wa’el Abu Omar told the Maan News Agency that the soldiers fired a new type of gas bombs that cause extreme weakness, and caused the affected to have serious difficulties not only in breathing, but also in moving.

Updated From:
Army Kills Three Palestinians, Injures At least 252, Including Many Who Suffered Serious Wounds, In Gaza
Apr 6, 2018 @ 18:05

Israeli soldiers killed, Friday, three Palestinians, including a child, and injured at least 252 others, including may who suffered life-threatening wounds, and moderate injuries, in several parts of the Gaza Strip, after the army resorted to the excessive use of force against nonviolent protesters.

His death brings the number of Palestinians who were killed by Israeli army fire today, Friday, to three, in addition to a fourth Palestinians who died from serious wounds suffered last week.

Ten Palestinians were shot with live fire in the head and chest, in Khan Younis alone, the Red Crescent in Gaza has reported.

The Health Ministry and the Red Crescent in Gaza has confirmed that the soldiers killed Majdi Ramadan Shbat, 38, east of Gaza city, after shooting him with a live round in the neck.

In addition that 252 Palestinians were injured by army fire, including many who suffered life-threatening wounds, and serious injuries, in addition to dozens who suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation.

52 of the wounded suffered severe convulsions and threw up due to the effects of the gas bombs.

The Israeli army is firing long-range gas bombs that reaches the make-shift hospitals.

Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza has confirmed that the soldiers killed Osama Khamis Qdeih, 38, from Abasan al-Kabeera town, east of Khan Younis.

He added that Qdeih died from serious wounds he suffered after the soldiers shot him with live fire, east of Khan Younis.

The Palestinian Red Crescent in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, said its field hospital provided treatment to more than 50 Palestinians, including many who were shot with live rounds in the head and chest, and dozens who were shot with rubber-coated steel bullets and gas bombs, in addition to scores who suffered the effects of teargas inhalation.

In added that the soldiers also fired dozens of gas bombs directly targeting many ambulances, and make-shift field clinics, east of Rafah.


It added that one of the wounded Palestinians is a journalist, identified as Yasser Mortaja, who was shot with a life round in his chest, while a female journalist, identified as Islam Za’noun, suffered the effects of teargas inhalation, despite wearing clearly marked press vests; both were injured east of Khan Younis.

The soldiers deliberately fired a barrage of gas bombs, including high velocity, long range bombs, at crowds of protesters, in addition to firing many live rounds at them.

The soldiers also targeted many journalists with live fire and gas bombs, including during live coverage by the al-Mayadeen TV.

Furthermore, the army used planes and drones in firing a barrage of gas bombs at the Palestinians even in areas not close to the border fence.

Dozens of Palestinians suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation and received the needed treatment in make-shift hospitals near the border fence, across the eastern part of the Gaza Strip.

|Israeli Soldiers, Including Sharpshooters, Take Position, As Protests Start In Gaza; Injure Three|

The soldiers also targeted dozens of medics with gas bombs, east of the al-Boreij refugee camp, in central Gaza, wounding many of them.

The Palestinians burnt dozens of tires near the border fence, in order to obscure the vision of the soldiers, especially the sharpshooters, who barricaded themselves behind huge sand hills across the border fence.

The army also used planes to extinguish the burnt tires, in addition to using water hoses and even fans to send the smoke back to the Palestinian side.

His death brings the number of Palestinians who were killed by Israeli army fire since Friday, March 30th, to twenty-two, including the farmer, Wahid Nasrallah Abu Sammour, who was killed on his land early Friday morning before the Land Day protests began.

In related news, the soldiers shot three Palestinians, including one who suffered a head injury, in Ramallah, in central West Bank.

The soldiers also injured many Palestinians in Hebron, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.

First Published on: Apr 6, 2018 @ 16:50
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Nine Palestinians Said Killed, Nearly 300 Wounded by Israeli Gunfire

20,000 Palestinians protest at border for second consecutive Friday ■ Gaza Health Ministry asks UN, foreign governments for medical supplies ■ Protesters burn tires, throw stones, firebombs

by Jack Khoury, Yaniv Kubovich and Almog Ben Zikri for Haaretz
Apr 07, 2018 2:57 AM

Nine Palestinians were killed by Israeli army gunfire, Gaza's Health Ministry said, in resumed clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli forces along the Israel-Gaza border in the second consecutive Friday of mass protests.

According to the Health Ministry, 1070 Palestinian protesters were wounded, 293 of whom by Israeli military gunfire. Twenty-five of those wounded by gunfire are in critical condition, and two succumbed to their wounds. Some 442 protesters were evacuated to hospitals in Gaza, with more treated at the scene, mainly for smoke inhalation.

Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Ronen Manelis said 20,000 Palestinians protested in five locations throughout the Gaza Strip, with demonstrators hurling stones and firebombs at the border fence. The military said it thwarted dozens of attempts by protesters to illegally cross the border into Israel.

Gaza's Health Ministry named the Palestinians killed as Osama Khamis, 38, Majdi Shabat, Hussein Mohammed Madi, 16, Subhi Abu Atawi, 20, Mohammed Said Al-Haj, 33, Sodki Faraj Abu Atawi, 45, and Alaa Adin Azamli, 17, bringing the death toll to 29 since the "March of Return" – a series of mass protests along the border leading up to Nakba Day – began on March 30. Hamza Abad Al-al and journalist Yaser Murtaja, who was shot in the abdomen at a demonstration in the Khan Younis area, died of their wounds.

Earlier Friday, the ministry reported on the death of Tair Mohammed, Raba'a, a 30-year-old protester who was wounded near the border fence last week during the demonstrations.

In light of such a death toll, the Health Ministry has called upon the United Nations, foreign governments and international organizations to deliver medicine and other medical supplies to hospitals in Gaza, where there is a dire shortage in essential drugs.

Demonstrators set fire to hundreds of tires along the border fence with the aim of preventing Israeli forces from identifying and wounding the protesters through the thick black smoke. As a result, the day of protests is being referred to as "Tire Day." Demonstrators also burned U.S. flags and pictures of Saudi Arabia's crown prince, who said Tuesday that the Israelis have a right to live on their own land.Clashes also erupted in the West Bank, with the Health Ministry in Ramallah reporting that two Palestinians were wounded from rubber-tipped bullets fired by Israeli forces. One of those wounded was shot in the head, while the second sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.

According to IDF Spokesman Manelis, the military's conduct during last Friday's protest – in which 15 Palestinian protesters were killed by Israeli army fire – acted as a deterrence during this week's demonstrations. Manelis noted that while less Palestinians participated in the demonstrations, more children were sent toward the border fence compared to last week. While the IDF said its open-fire protocol remained unchanged, the army used less ammunition than it did last week, instead making use of crowd dispersal methods.

Despite the lower turnout compared to last Friday, the organizers of the "March of Return" described the day of protests as a great success, both in terms of the amount of Gazans who came to the border area and the amount of young Palestinians who headed calls to approach the fence.

Speaking at one of the protests near the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' political leader in the Strip, said: "The Palestinian people in Gaza are fighting against the occupation and it will blow up in the face of the occupation."

Hamas mandated all of its platoon officers ahead of the protests to join the demonstrations along with their family members. In preperation for the rallies, tractors expanded the encampment near Khan Yunis and mounded sand heaps along the fence to protect demonstrators from IDF fire.

Israeli forces on the ground were surprised by the absence of police and border police. Last week, police were tasked with dispersing protesters at the border but soldiers themselves employed methods like tear gas this week. Officers were not ordered to arrive, say police, and instead stationed in the area in case any Palestinian protesters succeeded to breach the border fence.

The Adalah Legal Center and Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, based in Gaza, petitioned Israel's Attorney General and the IDF's Military Advocate General and requested they explicitly order Israeli forces to refrain from using any kind of live ammunition.

"Live gunfire against protesters in Gaza is against international law and Israeli law," read the statement. "We state and emphasize again that this infringement amplifies itself with clear criminal dimensions, in light of the fact that it is premeditated and on the basis of intention to use live ammunition illegally."

The protests, known as the "March of Return," started last Friday on Land Day, a day Palestinians worldwide have commemorated since 1976, when Israeli security forces shot dead six Israeli Arabs who were protesting the expropriation of Arab-owned land in northern Israel to build Jewish communities. About 100 others were wounded and hundreds were arrested during the protest on March 30 of that year.

As part of the "March of Return," thousands of Palestinians are camping out in a what is being called a "tent city" near the fence as an extended protest until Nakba Day in mid-May, with weekly demonstrations on Fridays. Nabka Day, which commemorates the flight or expulsion of more than 700,000 Arabs during Israels War of Independence in 1947-49, is usually observed on Israeli Independence Day as well as its official date of May 15.
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Palestinian journalist and 2 minors among 9 killed by Israeli forces in Gaza on Friday

APRIL 7, 2018 11:20 P.M. (UPDATED: APRIL 7, 2018 11:20 P.M.)

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- At least 9 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were killed by Israeli forces during protests along the border with Israel, including a journalist and two minors.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health identified the slain Palestinians as Osama Khamis, 38, Majdi Shabat, Hussein Mohammed Madi, 16, Subhi Abu Atawi, 20, Muhammad Said al-Haj, 33, Sodki Faraj Abu Atawi, 45, and Alaa Adin Azamli, 17, bringing the death toll to 29 protesters since the "Great March of Return” began.

A Palestinian farmer was also killed last week the before dawn on Friday, March 30th, the first day of the massive demonstration.

Hamza Abd al-Al, 20, and photojournalist Yasser Murtaja, 30, who were shot on Friday, succumbed to their wounds on Saturday.

According to the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate, Murtaja was shot by gunfire while standing 350 meters from the border fence.

Meanwhile, the ministry reported that 1,070 protesters were injured on Friday.

The "Great March of Return” is a weeks-long planned protest in which almost 1.3 million of Gaza’s 2 million inhabitants who are refugees are demanding their right to return to their original homelands from which they were forcibly expelled when the state of Israel was created in 1948.

The six-week protest is set to end on May 15th, the 70th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, or “catastrophe,” when the state of Israel was created, leaving some 750,000 Palestinians and millions of their descendants as refugees.

Palestinians nicknamed this Friday's demonstration "Jum'at al-Kawshook", which translates to "Friday of Tires", as protesters set fire to thousands of tires along the border, creating huge clouds of black smoke in order to confuse Israeli snipers and prevent them from targeting protesters with live ammunition.

On the first day of protests last week, Israeli forces killed 16 Palestinians and injured over 1,000 more with live fire, rubber-coated steel bullets, and tear gas.

Despite widespread outcry from international rights groups who have condemned Israel’s excessive use of forces against the civilian protesters, Israeli has maintained its open-fire rules for the Gaza border.

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