GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) Israeli fire killed at least 18 Palestinians during mass protests along the Gaza border today, in a violent burst of bloodshed that cast a cloud over Israels festive inauguration of the new U.S. Embassy in contested Jerusalem.
It was the deadliest single day of protests since the Palestinians began staging weekly border demonstrations on March 30 in an attempt to break an Israeli-Egyptian blockade. Protesters set tires on fire, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the air, while the Israeli military accused protesters of trying to break through the border fence and plant a bomb, and said troops had come under fire.
By midafternoon, at least 18 Palestinians, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed while over 500 were wounded by Israeli fire, Palestinian health officials said.
In the West Bank, several thousand people gathered in the center of Ramallah, while hundreds marched to the Qalandiya crossing on the outskirts of Jerusalem, where protesters threw stones at Israeli troops.
The protest in Gaza was to be the biggest yet in a weekslong campaign against a decade-old blockade of the territory. The march was also directed at the inauguration of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem later today. The relocation of the embassy from Tel Aviv, a key campaign promise of President Donald Trump, has infuriated the Palestinians, who seek east Jerusalem as a future capital.
A great day for Israel! Trump tweeted early today.
Today marked the biggest showdown in recent weeks between Israels military and Gazas Hamas rulers along the volatile border.
It is the culmination of a campaign, led by the Islamic militant Hamas and fueled by despair among Gazas 2 million people, to break the decade-old border blockade of the territory imposed by Israel and Egypt after Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007. Since weekly border marches began in late March, 60 Palestinian protesters have been killed and more than 2,300 wounded by Israeli army fire.
Hamas leaders have suggested a border breach is possible today, while Israel has warned it would prevent protesters from breaking through the barrier at any cost.
Most of the casualties were in the southern Gaza towns of Khan Younis and Rafah. Israeli forces were firing volleys of tear gas to disperse the crowds, and the sound of heavy gunfire could be heard. Sirens were constantly wailing as the wounded were evacuated on stretchers to nearby ambulances. Groups of young activists repeatedly approached the fence, but were quickly scattered by gunfire and tear gas.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said the army had set up additional layers of security in and around communities near the border to defend Israeli civilians in case of a mass breach. He said there already had been several significant attempts to break through the fence.
Even if the fence is breached, we will be able to protect Israeli civilians from attempts to massacre or kidnap or kill them, he said.
In a statement, the army said troops had shot and killed three Palestinians who attempted to plant a bomb along the fence. It also said an aircraft had targeted a Hamas post in northern Gaza after Israeli troops came under fire.
The timing of todays events was deeply symbolic, both to Israel and the Palestinians.
