Israeli snipers open fire on Gaza protests second week in a row

Israeli soldiers prepare to fire on protestors

+972staff write, “Israeli snipers shot dead at least six Palestinian protesters, including a 14-year-old boy, and wounded at least 300 others near the Gaza border fence with Israel on Friday during the eight day of the “Great Return March. The killings came as thousands of Palestinian protesters amassed at the border with Gaza at noon, burning large amounts of tires in order to provide protection from Israeli snipers and tanks. Israeli security forces shot both live fire and tear gas at the protesters, while fire trucks sprayed water at the burning tires on the other side of the border in an attempt to put out the fires.

In response to the killings, the Israeli military claimed that there had been several attempts made to damage and cross the security fence “under the cover of the smokescreen created by the burning tires that the rioters ignited.”

The number of protesters was smaller than the precious Friday, with the demonstrators spread out across five different locations along the border. Solidarity protests are slated to take place in Jaffa and Sakhnin this weekend.

While the Israeli army has portrayed the march as a violent provocation organized by Hamas, the march’s organizers have stressed that the march is an apolitical, non-violent protest against the unbearable living conditions in Gaza and demanding the Palestinian right of return.” (read more)