Jerusalem April 28 (TNS): At least three Palestinian men were killed while 150 others injured by the firing of Israeli forces during protests in Gaza border on Friday, Palestinian Ministry of Health said.
According to the Ministry, Abdul Salam Baker, 29, was shot and killed near Khan Younis in the south of Gaza while the hospitals received the bodies of two other men, who are currently unidentified.
This is the fifth straight Friday that Palestinians have participated in the “March of Return” along the border fence with Israel.
They are calling for an end to Israel’s blockade of the territory and say they want to highlight their right to return to lands their families fled or were expelled from when Israel was founded 70 years ago.
Since the protests began, 45 Palestinians have been killed, according to figures provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Israel says Hamas is playing a leading role in the protests. Last week, the Israeli military dropped leaflets over parts of Gaza, in which it accused the group of exploiting the protests to pursue its own interests.
Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee, said earlier this month that the Israeli military’s responses were “unlawful violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”
In recent weeks, 14 of the 15 members of the UN Security Council have supported statements calling for an independent inquiry into violence along the Israel-Gaza border. In each case, the United States has been the sole member to block the statements from being issued.
TNS/CNN
