Two Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire during demonstrations, one in his early teens, health officials in Gaza reported. Hundreds of other protesters were also wounded.
The victims included 14-year-old Yasser Abu al-Naja who died after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head east of Khan Yunis, Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesperson for Gaza’s health ministry, said, Al Jazeera reported.
Mohammad Fawzi Hamaydeh, 24, was also pronounced dead shortly after being shot by Israeli live fire in the abdomen and foot, east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
Among the 415 wounded at Friday’s demonstration, 11 were children. Three of the injured cases were severe.
Great March of Return
For more than two months, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been protesting along the fence with Israel, demanding their right to return to the homes and land their families were expelled from 70 years ago.
The Great March of Return rallies culminated on May 15 to mark what Palestinians refer to as the Nakba, or Catastrophe—a reference to the forced removal of 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and villages to clear the way for Israel’s creation in 1948.
The mass Friday demonstrations have since continued. Since the protests began on March 30, Israeli forces have killed at least 135 Palestinians in the besieged coastal enclave and wounded more than 15,000 people, according to health officials in Gaza.
