"Great March of Return" demonstrations in Gaza
At least three Palestinians were killed Friday by Israeli army gunfire -- and another 126 injured -- amid ongoing demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel buffer zone.
In a statement, Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesman for Gaza’s Health Ministry, said that one of the three martyrs was a minor.
According to al-Qidra, “dozens” of Palestinian protesters were affected by teargas while 126 others, including 10 women and 30 children, sustained gunshot injuries.
Israel’s Jerusalem municipality has announced plans to remove the UN’s relief agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) from occupied East Jerusalem, the Israeli press has reported. According to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat has accused the agency of operating illegally and promoting anti-Israel “incitement”. “Schools, clinics and sports centers, among other services operated by UNRWA in East Jerusalem, will be transferred to the Israeli authorities,” the newspaper quoted Barkat as saying. The municipality has not provided a timeline for the transfer. But officials say several schools in East Jerusalem -- which cater to 1,800 Palestinian students -- would be closed by the end of the academic year. Lieberman threatens Hamas with post-holiday escalationAccording to Israel’s Channel Two, U.S. President Donald Trump's recent decision to end financial aid to UNRWA encouraged Israel to take the decision. The plan was drafted in coordination with the U.S. administration and will soon be presented to the Israeli government for approval, the broadcaster reported. In September, the U.S. State Department announced that Washington would “no longer commit funding” to UNRWA. The U.S. had been UNRWA's largest contributor by far, providing it with $350 million annually -- roughly one quarter of the agency's overall budget. Established in 1949, UNRWA provides critical aid to Palestinian refugees in the blockaded Gaza Strip, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.Israel's Netanyahu questioned again in corruption probeMerkel offers qualified support for 'Jewish state'
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The Israeli army on Thursday announced plans to bolster its troop presence along the Gaza-Israel buffer zone, which for the last six months has seen almost-daily rallies by Palestinians.“It was decided to reinforce our forces in the Southern Command Area [i.e., near the blockaded Gaza Strip] within coming days,” an Israeli army statement read.According to the statement, the decision was taken based on a recent situation assessment conducted by Army Chief-of-Staff Gadi Eizenkot.The statement goes on to assert that the army views Hamas -- which has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007 -- as being responsible “for everything happening in and originating from” the blockaded coastal enclave.For the last six months, thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have taken part in almost-daily demonstrations along the heavily-fortified buffer zone.Since the demonstrations began on March 30, scores of Palestinians have been martyred near the buffer zone -- and thousands more injured -- by Israeli army gunfire.Protesters demand the “right of return” to their villages in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.They also demand an end to Israel’s 12-year-long blockade of Gaza, which has gutted the territory’s economy and deprived its roughly two million inhabitants of many basic commodities.Israeli army rounds up 13 Palestinians in West Bank raidsHamas Gaza leader to Israeli press: 'I don't want war'US preparing Israel for war
Israel to send reinforcements to Gaza buffer zone
Seven of the injured persons were in serious condition, he added.
Demonstrators demand the “right of return” to their homes and villages in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.
They also demand an end to Israel’s 11-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its two million inhabitants of many basic commodities.
According to the Health Ministry, more than 190 Palestinians have been martyred -- and 20,000 others injured -- since the rallies first began on March 30.
At least three Palestinians were killed Friday by Israeli army gunfire -- and another 126 injured -- amid ongoing demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel buffer zone.
Three Palestinians martyred along Gaza-Israel buffer zone