News / Palestine

Israeli forces wound dozens of Gazan protesters

Friday, 12 July 2019 4:37 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 12 July 2019 5:46 PM ]

Palestinian paramedics carry away a youth injured during protests along the fence between Gaza and the Israeli-occupied territories, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on July 12, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

Israeli forces have opened fire on Palestinian protesters gathering near the fence between the besieged Gaza Strip and the Israeli-occupied territories, leaving dozens of people injured.

Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesman for the Gazan Health Ministry, said on Friday that 33 protesters had been injured by live fire during the “Great March of Return” protests.

He added that Israeli forces inflicted different types of injuries on 22 other protesters.

The rallies have been held every week since March 30 last year. The Palestinians demand the right to return of those driven out of their homeland by Israeli aggression.

Israeli troops have killed at least 305 Palestinians since the beginning of the rallies and wounded more than 17,000 others, according to the Gazan Health Ministry.

In March, a United Nations (UN) fact-finding mission found that Israeli forces committed rights violations during their crackdown against the Palestinian protesters in Gaza that may amount to war crimes.

Gaza has been under Israeli siege since June 2007, which has caused a decline in living standards.

Israel has also launched three major wars against the enclave since 2008, killing thousands of Gazans each time and shattering the impoverished territory’s already poor infrastructure.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk