‘Palestinian Medic Killed, 84 Wounded’ in Border Protests After Gaza Escalation
A Palestinian medic was killed by a gunshot to his head and 84 Palestinians were wounded in clashes near the Gaza-Israel border, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported Friday. Twenty-five of the Palestinians were said to be wounded by live fire from the Israeli military.
The medic has been identified as Abdallah Alqatati, according to the health ministry.
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Hamas called on Palestinians to march along the Gaza border earlier Friday as part of the "March of Return," weekly mass demonstrations for Palestinians’ right of return and opposition to policies, such as the U.S. embassy relocation to Jerusalem.
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"The Palestinian people have stamina, and will continue the resistance with every means until achieving independence and freedom," said Hamas spokesman Hazem Kassem in response to Thursday’s Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, adding that Israel has repeatedly failed to break their spirits.
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The committee in charge of the procession began calling on Gazans to join in protests before a cease-fire had been declared on Thursday.
An Egyptian source told Haaretz Thursday night that a cease-fire deal had been reached between Israel and Hamas. A senior Israeli source denied the reports.
Gaza border protest, last week. IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA/REUTERS
According to Israeli assessments, Hamas wants to end the current round of violence following the damage and casualties caused by the military’s attacks on the Strip. An Israeli official told Haaretz that while Hamas had been seeking a cease-fire agreement through intermediaries since Thursday morning, Israel continued to attack high-profile targets.
According to Al-Jazeera, the deal would take effect immediately. Following the deal, the military announced it would lift restrictions on Gaza border communities.
Since Wednesday night, Israel struck 150 targets in Gaza in retaliation to some 200 rockets fired from the Strip at Israel. Over 30 rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. Several exploded inside Israel, including in the southern city of Be’er Sheva, located some 40 kilometers from the Strip. This was the first time rockets were fired at the city since the 2014 Gaza war. A woman in Israel was seriously wounded while two others suffered light injuries.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that three Palestinians were killed by the Israeli attacks, including a pregnant woman, 23, her 18-month-old toddler and a man, who was identified as 30-year-old Ali Alrandur. He is the son of one of the commanders of Hamas’ armed wing, Iz al-Din al-Qassam. Six other people were wounded by the strikes.