Teenage boy among two Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in Gaza
Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinians, one of them a 14-year-old boy, and wounded 415 others with live fire and tear gas during protests along the Gaza border on Friday, health officials said.
They said the teenager, Yasser Abu Al Naja, and Mohammed Al Hamayda, 24, were hit by live rounds. Four other men were in a critical condition.
The Israeli military claimed troops used “large amounts of riot dispersal means”. In some cases, when the non-lethal means proved ineffective, live fire was then used “in accordance with the standard operating procedures”.
It said thousands of Palestinians had “participated in extremely violent riots”, throwing a grenade and rocks at troops and towards the border fence, as well as burning tyres.
The military said the reported death of the boy would be investigated and that legal action could be taken – if appropriate.
Gaza officials said Israeli troops have killed at least 135 people since the weekly protests began on March 30.
Palestinians said the protests are an outpouring of rage against Israel by refugees who demand the right to return to the homes their families fled from or were driven from on the foundation of Israel 70 years ago. Israel claimed the demonstrations were organised by Hamas, the group that controls the Gaza Strip and denies Israel’s right to exist.
Israel said Hamas has intentionally provoked the violence – a charge the group denies.
Tens of thousands took part in the protests launched at several locations along the Gaza border, but the number has dropped significantly in the past few weeks and only a few thousand have attended recently.
Israel’s trigger-happy tactics have drawn international condemnation. But support has come from its main ally, the United States, which like Israel, has blamed Hamas. Israel has accused Hamas of stoking the violence in an attempt to deflect domestic attention away from the energy shortages in Gaza and its faltering economy.
Israel maintains a naval blockade of Gaza and tight restrictions on the movement of people and goods at its land borders.
Egypt has also kept its Gaza frontier largely closed. Both countries cite security concerns for the measures, which have deepened the economic hardship for the Palestinian people.