Tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered along the Gaza border on Friday, burning tires and throwing firebombs and rocks at Israeli soldiers, who responded with tear gas and live fire, the army and witnesses said, as Palestinians held a second “March of Return” protest.
Hamas said five Gazans were killed by Israeli fire as of 7:30 p.m. The IDF said it thwarted multiple efforts to breach the border fence — and that it used live fire to do so in some instances — as well as attempts to activate bombs against the troops under the cover of smoke.
Palestinians were burning tires, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the air; others threw Molotov cocktails and stones at Israeli soldiers over the border fence, who responded with tear gas and live fire, witnesses said.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said on Friday evening that five men were killed. It said 922 people were taken to hospitals and field clinics, but did not provide a breakdown of those injured by live fire, rubber-coated steel pellets or overcome by tear gas. It said 19 people were in serious condition. Among those hurt were eight women and 40 minors, the ministry said.
“Rioters have attempted to damage and cross the security fence under the cover of smoke from their burning tires. They also attempted to carry out terror attacks and hurl explosive devices and firebombs,” the IDF said on Friday evening. “Our forces prevented breaches” of the fence.
Witnesses said that Friday’s demonstrations appeared somewhat smaller than the 30,000 participants at last week’s protest. The army assessed that around 20,000 Gazans were participating.
One of the dead men was identified as Ussama Khamis Qadih, 38, killed east of Khan Younis. Israel’s Army Radio quoted the IDF saying the fatal incident involving Qadih occurred when the army identified an effort by a large group of people to rush the border fence and that it used live fire to stop them. The report said 20 people were also injured in the attempt.
The other dead men were identified as Shadi Shabat, 38; Hussein Mohammed Madi, 16; Ibrahim Alur, 19; Subhi Abu Utaiwi, 20; and Sidqi Abu Attiwi, 45. There were no immediate details on the circumstances of their deaths.
“Our forces are using riot disposal means and live fire in accordance with the rules of engagement,” the army said.
Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said Hamas organizers were trying to use protesters as a diversion to “open up the fence and then to insert terrorists into Israel.” Conricus said snipers were used “sparingly” and only against those that pose a “significant threat.”
Israel and Hamas had geared up for another showdown on the border with the IDF deploying snipers and tanks ahead of the expected mass protest, and Palestinians stockpiling thousands of tires which they burned in late morning and through the afternoon. The IDF was using smoke dispersal measures, Army Radio said.
Hamas gave instructions to its members to cover their faces to make it harder for Israel to identify them, and not to carry their cellphones.
The IDF said that since morning “there were violent protests at five sites along the Gaza border in which hundreds of Palestinians were taking part.”
“Our forces will not allow any harm to the security infrastructure and the fence that protects Israeli citizens,” it said, noting that it had declared the area a closed military zone.
The army posted surveillance footage (below) showing Palestinians trying to set fires and sabotage the fence.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, arriving at one of the demonstration sites, received a hero’s welcome. He was surrounded by hundreds of supporters who chanted, “We are going to Jerusalem, millions of martyrs.”
Sinwar told the crowd that the world should “wait for our great move, when we breach the borders and pray at Al-Aqsa,” referring to the major Muslim shrine on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City.
“We’ve come out today to tell the world that Gaza is free,” he said. “The blockade and the hunger have failed at turning the people of Gaza against the resistance.”
He added: “If we explode, we will explode at the Israeli occupation.
The fresh protests come amid concerns about renewed bloodshed after more than 16 Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured by Israeli fire in a mass protest last week.
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