More die in protests along Gaza border with Israel

KHUZAA, Gaza Strip — Thousands of Palestinians protested along Gaza’s sealed border with Israel on Friday, engulfing the volatile area in black smoke from burning tires to try to block the view of Israeli snipers.

Israeli troops opened fire from across the border, killing seven Palestinians and wounding 293 others — 25 of them seriously — in the second mass border protest in a week, Gaza health officials said. Hundreds more suffered other injuries, including tear gas inhalation, the officials said.

The deaths brought to 29 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since last week.

The U.N. human rights office said Friday that it has indications that Israeli forces used “excessive force” against protesters last week.

Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said, “If they are actively attacking the fence, if they are throwing a molotov cocktail that is within striking distance of Israeli troops or similar activities, then those persons, those rioters, become, may become, a target.”

Israel says Hamas is using the mass marches as a cover for attacking the border fence, and has vowed to prevent a breach at all costs.

The military said that on Friday, protesters hurled several explosive devices and firebombs, using the thick plumes of smoke from burning tires as a cover, and that several attempts to cross the fence were thwarted.