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Archive photo · 6 July 2018Israeli Forces Kill 17 Palestinians in Gaza “March of Return” Protests
4 Other1 West AsianPhoto: מינוזיג - MinoZig, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped for layout
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17 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces during Gaza border protests marking Land Day. Thousands marched near the Gaza-Israel border as part of the Land Day demonstration.
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Return March Turns Deadly
Thousands of Palestinians marched near Gaza’s border with Israel on Friday for the “March of Return,” and Israeli forces killed 17 Palestinians during the protests, according to Al Jazeera. The Palestinian Authority declared Saturday a day of national mourning after 17 Palestinians were killed, and the statement said “Schools, universities, as well as all government institutions, across the country will be off on Saturday.” The Palestinian Ministry of Health said more than 1,400 others were wounded after Israeli forces fired live ammunition at protesters and used tear gas to push them back from a heavily fortified fence.
The Times of Israel reported that the Hamas-run Health Ministry said 15 Palestinians were killed and some 1,100 were wounded by Israeli tear gas, rubber bullets and live fire in the Gaza Strip on Friday, while the Israel Defense Forces estimated that over 30,000 Palestinians took part. The Times of Israel said the IDF spokesman Ronen Manelis warned that “a violent, terrorist demonstration at six points” faced the army along the fence.
Opposition Split, Probes Demanded
Israeli Arab lawmakers voiced support for the Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border, and the political opposition split on the use of force against the Gazan protesters, according to The Times of Israel. Avi Gabbay said he had “no doubt our soldiers did everything to reduce the number of casualties,” while Yair Lapid maintained he was “proud” of the troops. The Joint (Arab) List condemned live fire, and it said “The fire against the protesters again proves that Israel chooses a path of force and deliberate violence.”
Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg called for an investigation and said a state whose soldiers shoot to kill in order to protect a fence is committing a moral crime, and Issawi Frej backed her by calling for a probe. Yoel Hasson rejected the calls for scrutiny, saying “There is nothing to investigate and nothing to check, the IDF is doing all that is necessary to protect the Gaza periphery communities and the border.”
Casualties, Rules of Engagement
The Israeli military identified 10 of the 15 people reported killed during violent protests along the Gaza security fence as members of Palestinian terrorist groups, and it published a list of their names and positions in the organizations, according to The Times of Israel. The IDF said its sharpshooters targeted only those taking explicit violent action against Israeli troops or trying to break through or damage the security fence, and it described “pinpoint fire” wherever there were attempts to breach or damage the security fence. The Times of Israel said Hamas publicly acknowledged that five members of its military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, were among the fatalities, and it claimed they were taking part “in popular events side-by-side with their people.”
Al Jazeera reported that Adalah condemned the Israeli army’s use of force as a “violation of international law,” and it said “Live gunfire on unarmed civilians constitutes a brutal violation of the international legal obligation to distinguish between civilians and combatants.” The Times of Israel reported that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an “independent and transparent investigation,” while Mansour al-Otaibi said the Security Council met but “did not take action yet to stop this massacre and to hold those responsible to account.”