Sixteen Palestinian protesters have been killed in confrontations with Israeli security forces along the Gaza border as Gazans marked Land Day.
About 2,000 other Palestinians were injured during the protests, called by Hamas in observance of Land Day, which symbolises the demand of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to be allowed to return to their homeland, Ashraf al-Qedra, a spokesman from the Health Ministry in Gaza, said on Friday.
More than half of Gaza’s two million people are refugees or their descendants, according to the United Nations.
The Israeli Defence Forces said in a statement that “17,000 Palestinians are rioting in five locations along the Gaza Strip security fence”.
“The rioters are rolling burning tyres and hurling firebombs and rocks at the security fence and IDF troops, who are responding with riot dispersal means and firing towards main instigators,” the statement added.
Israel announced earlier this week that 100 snipers would be posted along the Gaza border.
Read the full article at The Australian.