Israeli forces shoot dead Palestinian man in central Gaza

Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian man in Gaza Strip as tensions are running high in the occupied territories following the Tel Aviv regime’s recent mass killing of Gazan protesters.

The Gazan health ministry said Ahmed Arafa, 25, was shot in the chest during clashes east of Bureij in central Gaza on Tuesday.

The Israeli army refused to comment immediately, saying it was looking into the incident.

Earlier in the day, Israeli minister of military affairs Avigdor Lieberman warned that the Palestinians who approach the fence between Gaza and Israel will put "their life in danger."

Tens of thousands of Gazans have begun a six-week march near the fence with the occupied lands at the start of a six-week protest, dubbed “The Great March of Return,” demanding the right to return for Palestinians driven out of their homeland.

The demonstrations turned violent on Friday after Israeli forces used tear gas and live fire against the Palestinians, killing 18 and injuring almost 1,500 Gazans.

Multiple human rights organizations have come out in full condemnation of Israel’s violent raid on the massive unarmed civilian protests in the besieged sliver.

On Saturday, the Security Council held an emergency meeting over the mass killing by Israeli forces, but failed to reach an agreement on a final statement over US impediment.

PressTV-PA raps US over impeding UN resolution on Gaza conflict

The Palestinian Authority condemns the United States over obstructing a UN resolution to denounce Israel’s massacre of 16 Palestinians during Friday's mass protest in the Gaza Strip.

Palestine’s Hamas resistance movement has urged the Arab League to file a lawsuit with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israel over the carnage.

Israel, however, has defended the Friday carnage, saying its forces opened fire only when necessary.

Tel Aviv alleged that there were attempts to damage the fence and infiltrate Israel as well as an attempted gun attack against soldiers along the border.

On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) slammed Israel’s killing of Palestinian protesters as “unlawful” and “calculated,” saying those officials who authorized the Israeli military to use lethal force ahead of the mass rallies in Gaza are to blame for the bloodshed.

PressTV-Israel’s killings in Gaza unlawful, calculated: HRW

Human Rights Watch says those Israeli officials who gave regime forces the permission to use lethal force against Palestinian protesters are to blame for the unlawful killings in Gaza.

The HRW added that footage of the Gaza demonstrations includes no evidence of protesters using firearms, questioning the Israeli claim that the number of Palestinians injured by live ammunition was likely in the dozens.

The rights group further reviewed a video showing a demonstrator shot in the leg while praying and another while throwing a rock. Other videos show demonstrators were shot while slowly walking toward the Gaza fence empty-handed.

This year, the Return rallies coincided with the 42nd anniversary of Land Day, which commemorates the murder of six Palestinians by Israeli forces in 1976.

The Return rallies culminate on May 15, the day Palestinians commemorate Nakba Day (Day of Catastrophe) when hundreds of thousands fled or were driven out of their homes in 1948, the year Israel was created.

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