Violence flares

Israeli forces shot dead six Palestinians yesterday, four of them in a single incident, in one of the deadliest days in months of mass protests along the security fence separating Gaza and Israel, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. The Israeli military said it opened fire on a crowd that breached the fence and approached an army post. No Israeli troops were harmed. Two more Palestinians were killed in other locations. The ministry said at least 140 Palestinians were wounded by live bullets. The Israeli military said 14,000 Palestinians thronged the border fence areas, burning tyres and throwing rocks, firebombs and grenades at soldiers on the other side of the barrier. Since March, Islamist group Hamas has orchestrated near-weekly protests along the fence, pressing for an end to an stifling IsraelEgyptian blockade imposed since the militant group wrested control of Gaza in 2007.