Seven Palestinians were killed on Friday during a demonstration along the borders between the Gaza Strip and Israel, according to the local health authorities, which added that about 140 others were injured.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that the number of people who were killed since the beginning of the demonstrations on 30 March has reached about 200.
Thousands of Palestinians engaged in the demonstrations in the Gaza strip dubbed the ‘Great Return March’ since 30 March of this year to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of Land Day, and are demanding the return of refugees to their homes where they were evacuated at the time of establishing Israel in 1948.
The Israeli army said that it has shot a group of 15 Palestinians who passed the border line and attacked a military site for the Israeli forces by stones, incendiary bombs, and grenades. Israel accused the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement [Hamas] of inciting the demonstrations in order to distract eyes away from its economic crisis in Gaza.
Ismail Haniya, the leader of Hamas, said in a speech in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday, that his movement is working on reaching settlements with several parties including Qatar, Egypt, and the UN, expressing hope for these efforts to help in lifting the siege on Gaza.
Moreover, the Egypt-based Islamic institution Al-Azhar condemned what it described as “Israeli abuses” against the Palestinian people, calling on the international community to take its responsibility in protecting Palestinian civilians.
In August, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, had previously proposed in a report four options that he believes could help in improving the life of Palestinian civilians, and boost the protection of Palestinians in Israeli-occupied territories.
The 14-page report came after a request from the UNGA as a response to a UN resolution that was adopted in May 2018 this year, condemning the Israeli abuses towards the Palestinian people, as well as the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel, so Israel opposed the resolution as it did not mention Hamas with condemnation.
Options mentioned in the report included sending UN troops, monitors and unarmed observers to deploying a military or police force under a UN mandate, in addition to increasing the UN humanitarian and development aid to the Palestinians to ensure the well-being of the population.
