Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 09:40, 26 May 2018

This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. Feel free to improve this article or discuss changes on the talk page, but please note that updates without valid and reliable references will be removed. (May 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article's lead section may be too long. Please read the length guidelines and help move details into the article's body. (May 2018) This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may interest only a particular audience. Please help by spinning off or relocating any relevant information, and removing excessive detail that may be against Misplaced Pages's inclusion policy. (May 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

2018 Gaza border protests
Part of Gaza–Israel conflict
Map of the Gaza Strip
Date	30 March 2018 – present (−2 months, 3 weeks and 1 day)
Location	Gaza Strip, near the Israeli border
Goals	Lifting the blockade Achieving the right of return
Parties
Gaza Strip Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine Hamas File:Flag of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine.svg Palestinian Islamic Jihad Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Unaffiliated protesters  Israel  Israel Defense Forces Israel Border Police Israel Fire and Rescue Services
Units involved
143rd "Fire Fox" (Territorial) Division reinforced with two brigades and special units, including Maglan.
Casualties and losses
112 dead and over 13,190 injured (as of 21 May 2018) 1 slightly wounded

On 30 March 2018, a six-week campaign composed of a series of protests was launched at the Gaza Strip, near the Gaza-Israel border. Called by Palestinian organizers the "Great March of Return", the protests demand that Palestinian refugees and their descendants be allowed to return to what is now Israel. They are also protesting the blockade of the Gaza Strip and the moving of the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Violence during the protests has resulted in the deadliest days of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the 2014 Gaza War.

Organization of the protests was initiated by independent activists, and has been endorsed and supported by Hamas, as well as other major factions in the Gaza Strip. It was planned to last from 30 March (Land day) to 15 May (Nakba Day). Five tent camps were set up 500 to 700 metres (1,600 to 2,300 ft) from the border and were to remain there throughout the campaign. In the first event on 30 March, thirty thousand Palestinians participated in the protest near the border. Comparatively larger protests have been held on Fridays, 6 April, 13 April, 20 April, 27 April, 4 May, and 11 May—each of which involved at least 10,000 demonstrators—while smaller numbers attend activities during the week. Most of the demonstrators at the tent camps hundreds of meters from the border demonstrated peacefully, but groups consisting mainly of young men approached the border, rolled burning tires towards the fence, used burning tires to provide smoke screens, and threw stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli troops. In April, Palestinian protesters began to launch kites bearing incendiary devices over the border fence, causing damage to property on the Israeli side. Israeli officials stated that the protests were used by Hamas as cover for launching attacks against Israel.

At least 110 Palestinians were killed between 30 March to 15 May, a number of whom have been members of various Palestinian militant organizations; at least 40 of those were killed in the course of the protests. Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and live ammunition. Over 12,000 Palestinians have been wounded. No Israelis were physically harmed from 30 March to 12 May, then one Israeli soldier was reported as slightly wounded on 14 May. The protests reached a peak in monday, 14 May, when 59 Palestinians were killed in the riots in twelve clash points along the border fence. Some 35,000 Palestinians protested that day, with thousands approaching the fence.

Israel's use of deadly force has been condemned by human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, B'Tselem, and Amnesty International, and criticized by United Nations officials. Kuwait has proposed two United Nations Security Council statements, which have been blocked by the United States, calling for an investigation into Israel's killing of Palestinian protesters. The Israeli government has praised Israeli troops for protecting the border fence.

Background

The principal demand of the protests is the right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants to present-day Israel. A majority of Gaza's population consists of refugees from the 1948 Palestine War and their descendants. Israel has rejected any right of return, at least in part because the demographic consequences of such mass in-migration would result in a non-Jewish majority, which would effectively end the Jewish state.

Land Day is an annual day of commemoration for Palestinians worldwide of events that unfolded on 30 March 1976. In response to the Israeli government's planned expropriation of Arab-owned land in northern Israel, local Arab leaders called for a day of general strikes and protests against the confiscation of lands. In the ensuing strikes, six Israeli-Arabs were killed by Israeli security forces and about 100 others were wounded.

In late 2005, after the Israeli disengagement from Gaza, the Israeli military imposed a "no-go zone" on the interior side of the Israel-Gaza border in response to rocket fire from Gaza falling on Israeli towns. This zone restricts Palestinians from entering "about 17 percent of Gaza's territory, including a third of its agricultural lands", according to Human Rights Watch. According to IDF, this is done "to prevent the concealment of improvised explosives and to disrupt and prevent the use of the area for destructive purposes."

The border fence between Gaza and Israel (the separation barrier) is composed of a crude barbed-wire barrier, a brief gap, and then a 10 feet (3.0 m) high "smart fence" with sensors to detect infiltrators. A crowd surging towards the fence could cross the fence in some 30 seconds according to one of the contractors who built it.

Protest organization

In 2011, Ahmed Abu Ratima (or Rteima) whose family originally came from Ramla, conceived the idea of Palestinians going peacefully to the separation barrier and protest for their right to return to the homes from which they had been driven, or had fled, in the past.

In early 2018, Gazan journalist Muthana al-Najjar, whose family originally hailed from Salamah, pitched a tent near the border, where he stayed for over a month, while others began planting olive tree seedlings in the area. He and others tried to keep the protest unaffiliated with Hamas or any other political group, but were overruled when Hamas took over the protest by mass mobilization of Gazans to join the march. Recruitment included calls on television, local media, social media and by word of mouth to join the protest. Hamas reportedly planned to keep the peace by having its security personnel dress in civilian clothes and move among the protesters to ensure no violence would occur. It gained support from Gazan intellectuals like Atef Abu Saif and graduates of Gazan universities, who are said to have drawn inspiration from the example of Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi.

By March, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the faction of Muhammad Dahlan (who was expelled from Fatah in 2011) had endorsed the protest.

The organizers of the event, including the local government authority, Hamas and various Palestinian factions, had encouraged thousands of Palestinians to converge on the Israeli border for the 42nd anniversary, in what was dubbed the "Great March of Return". While multiple factions have endorsed the protests, they have all participated under the shared symbol of the Palestinian national flag.

Prior incidents

In February 2018, four IDF soldiers were injured by an explosive device concealed in a Palestinian flag placed on the Gazan border fence during a Palestinian protest.

On 25 March, the IDF fired some ten Iron Dome missiles to intercept what the IDF sensors interpreted to be rockets, but which later turned out to be high-trajectory machine-gun fire during Hamas military exercises conducted in Gaza, which early reports said was directed towards Zikim.

In the week prior to 30 March, the IDF arrested a suspect who crossed into Israeli territory from northern Gaza; 2 Palestinians were spotted near the now-defunct Karni crossing container port trying to set fire to army engineering equipment close to the security fence; a group of four Palestinians infiltrated Israel near Kissufim; and 3 Gazans, armed with grenades and knives, crossed the border and were captured some 20 kilometers (12 mi) from the border, near Tze'elim.

Timeline

According to The New York Times, prior to the protests the Israeli government began a campaign to hold Hamas responsible for any violence during the protests.Preempt incidents along the border, Israel nearly doubled their forces stationed along there, deploying special units, drones, and some 100 snipers. The Israeli Prime Minister's Arabic spokesman and Defense Minister's Arabic Twitter account warned Palestinians who approached the border of the risk of sustaining serious or life-threatening injury.

30 March – "Great March of Return"

The first protest took place on 30 March, during the Land Day. Some 30,000 Palestinians took place in the protests which were launched from five tent camps that were set up 500 to 700 metres (1,600 to 2,300 ft) from the Israel–Gaza barrier, near the 300 metres (980 ft) no-go zone imposed by Israel. The majority of the demonstrators in the encampments were away from the border security and did not engage in violence. Hundreds of young Palestinians, however, ignored warnings issued by the organizers and the Israeli military to avoid the border zone. When some Palestinians began throwing stones and Molotov cocktails, Israel responded by declaring the Gaza border zone a closed military zone and opening fire on the rioters. The events of the day were some of the most violent in recent years. In one incident, two Palestinian gunmen approached the fence, armed with AK-47 assault rifles and hand grenades, and exchanged fire with IDF soldiers. They were killed and their bodies were recovered by the IDF.

That day, 15 Palestinians were killed by the IDF, all males aged 19 to 32, in addition to one farmer who was killed apparently by artillery fire in the morning prior to the protests. The IDF said a tank fired at two men who "acted suspiciously" near the border fence and did not confirm one of them was killed. The profile of the 15 men who were killed by the IDF was a subject of debate. The IDF published an infographic with the pictures of ten of those killed, saying they were members of militant/terrorist organizations, of them seven were Hamas militants and activists, one was a "global jihad activist" and one was a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militant group. Some of them appear in military uniform in their pictures. Hamas on the contrary confirmed only five of its members were killed that day, and one of the men the IDF said was a Hamas operative, was a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, according to the organization it self. According to the IDF, among those Hamas confirmed were its members were a company commander and a an operative in Hamas' tunnel warfare project. Three other Palestinian men aged 29 to 34 who were shot on 30 March succumbed to their wounded in the next days. One of them was a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The organization said he was unarmed when he was shot.

One notable casualty and an example of this debate is a 19-years-old Palestinian who was seen in footage from the protest being shot in his back while holding a tire and running away from the fence. The IDF said he was a member of Hamas, a claim Hamas did not confirm and his family denied, stating he was a restaurant worker. The IDF claimed the footage was "edited and fabricated". His funeral did not involve the honors usually given to slain Palestinian fighters. Another 20-years-old man was shot, according to his brother, in the head, while smoking a cigarette while standing behind a group of stone throwers.

Disagreement exists also about the number of those injured that day. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 1,400 Palestinians suffered injuries. According to various Palestinian medical sources, around 800 were wounded with live ammunition, while the rest were hurt in other ways, including rubber-coated projectiles and tear gas. The IDF on the other hand estimated only a few dozen were hurt with live fire.

31 March – 5 April

Protests continued on a lower scale throughout the week following the 30 March events. The IDF continued to fire at rioters along the border fence. A video was published in social media on Sunday, 2 April, shows a 19-years-old man among a group of rioters, placing a tire on another burning tire, to make it catch on fire, then waving his hands in celebration. He was then seemingly shot in the head by Israeli soldiers. Palestinian sources reported he was critically wounded.

During this week, two Palestinians were killed in two different incidents. In the first, a Palestinian member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) was shot by Israeli forces after he breached the fence and entered Israel. The IDF published a video from an observation camera, showing the man hitting the fence with what seems to be a metal pipe, when four other people stand behind him. He then breaches the fence and enters along with another man, which is when warning shots were probably fired. The video cuts before the man was shot and it is unclear in what circumstances was he shot and killed. In another incident, an Israeli aircraft opened fire on an allegedly armed Palestinian who approached the fence. The IDF published a video from an observence camera, showing the man walking slowly towards the fence, holding what appears to be an assault rifle. The army also claimed he was equiped with grenades and a suicide vest. The incident took place before dawn. In addition to these events, the IDF arrested on 1 April four unarmed Palestinians who crossed into Israel through the fence.

6 April – "Day of the Tire"

Protest organizers and Hamas called for renewed demonstrations on the Israel-Gaza border the following Friday, 6 April. The IDF stated that it intended to use the same force as the preceding week to prevent infiltrations of Israeli territory.

Between 31 March and 6 April, demonstrators gathered tires in Gaza to be burnt on 6 April, in preparation for what was dubbed the "Day of the Tire" (Arabic: Jumat al-Kawshook) Israeli officials have cautioned that the mass burning of tires along the border can produce environmental harm, calling on the World Health Organization to prevent, what they termed, an "ecological catastrophe".

Thousands of Palestinians joined in 6 April demonstrations; the IDF estimated their number at 20,000 people.

On 6 April, the Ministry reported that 9 Palestinians were killed, 1,350 were injured, and 25 were in critical condition; and that approximately 400 of those injured were hit by live ammunition. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported it had treated 700 injuries on 6 April, including 320 from live fire.

• Among those killed was Yaser Murtaja, a 30-year-old Palestinian photographer, who, according to Palestinian Health Ministry, was shot in the stomach by an Israeli sniper despite wearing a jacket emblazoned with 'press' to identify him as a journalist. According to the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate, seven other Palestinian journalists were injured by the Israelis during that day's protest. Israeli Defense Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, said in response that "anyone who flies drones over IDF soldiers puts himself at risk." According to Israeli security sources, Murtaja was an officer in Hamas security apparatus and attempted to smuggle a drone to Gaza in 2015. Hamas, as well as Murtaja's family, denied the allegation.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights reported fatalities as follows:

• "Mohammed Sa’ed Mousa al-Haj Saleh (33) from Rafah was hit with 2 live bullets to the abdomen and chest and died after few hours of his injury east of Rafah.
• "‘Ala’a Eden Yehyah al-Zameli (16) from Rafah was hit with a live bullet to the neck , east of Rafah.
• "Osama Khamis Musalam Qdaih (38) from ‘Abasan al-Kabirah in Khan Yunis was hit with a live bullet to the head east of Khuza’ah.
• "Ibrahim Zeyad Salamah al-‘Aar (20) from al-Nuseirat was hit with a live bullet to the head, east of al-Buraij.
• "Sedqi Taleb Mohammed Abu ‘Atawi (45) from al-Nuseirat was hit with a live bullet to the head, east of al-Buraij.
• "Husein Mohammed ‘Adnan Madi (14) from Sheikh Redwan neighborhood in Gaza City was hit with a live bullet to the chest, east of al-Sheja’eyah neighborhood in Gaza City.
• "Majdi Ramadan Mousa Shabat (38) from Beit Hanoun was hit with a live bullet to the neck, northeast of Jabalia."

One additional protester was fatally wounded on 6 April:

• Marwan Qudeih (45), from Khan Younis, who was wounded by Israeli fire east of the town, died of his wounds on 9 April.

In addition to Murtaja, five other journalists were injured on 6 April, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists: al-Aqsa TV cameraperson Khalil abu Adhreh, freelance photographer Ibrahim al-Za'noun, Sky Press Agency editor Ezz Abu Shanab, and Medi1TV cameraman Adham al-Hajjar were all struck by the Israeli military using live fire; European Press Photo Agency photographer, Saber Nureldine, was struck by shrapnel.

6–12 April

• On the evening of 8 April, according to the IDF, three Palestinians infiltrated the fence in the Northern Gaza strip, planted two explosive devices, and then quickly returned to Gaza. The IDF fired at the Palestinians with tank fire.
• In the early morning of 9 April, the IDF said it attacked a military compound belonging to Hamas in the northern Gaza strip in response to the attempted infiltration with explosives. The IDF said Hamas "is solely responsible for what is happening in the Gaza Strip from above and below the ground".
• In the morning of 11 April, Palestinians set off a bomb near an Israeli construction vehicle adjacent to the Gaza fence. The IDF fired tank shells at positions that according to the IDF belong to Hamas.
• On 12 April, Mohammed Hamada Hijila (31), who reportedly "engaged in a military confrontation," was killed by an Israeli airstrike east of Shuja'iyya.

13 April

Protests on a third consecutive Friday were smaller than prior weeks. The IDF estimated that 10,000 people protested on 13 April. Palestinians attempted to breach the border fence, hurled molotov cocktails and explosive devices, and attempted to fly firebomb kites into Israeli territory.

During the protests, IDF killed three Palestinians:

• Islam Hirzallah, 28, who was hit by live ammunition to the abdomen.
• Tahrir Mahmoud Wahba, 18, who is deaf, was fatally wounded, and died on 23 April.
• Ahmed Abu Hussein, a photojournalist wearing a protective vest marked 'press,' was also fatally wounded and died in Sheba Hospital in Tel HaShomer on 25 April, after being transferred for treatment.

The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that 969 people were injured by Israeli forces, among them were 67 children, and 223 people hit by live ammunition. Fifteen of the people sustaining live-fire injuries were in critical condition late on 13 April.

14–16 April

• On 14 April, four Palestinians were killed in a blast near one of the protest camps, the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine said that they were members of the organization and that they died during "preparations".
• Several kites with firebombs attached were flown by Palestinians into Israeli territory, sparking several fires, with at least 3 fire bomb kites located on 14 April. No injuries were caused.
• On 15 April, the IDF said it destroyed a tunnel that crossed the Gaza-Israel border. There were no reported casualties.
• On 16 April, additional fire bomb kites were flown from the Gaza strip. One kite started a fire that burned a wheat field on the Israeli side of the border.

20 April

Protests on Friday, 20 April, have been labeled the "Women's March of Gaza" and were intended to highlight the active role women are playing in the protest. The IDF estimates that 10,000 people participated in protests. At least four Palestinian protesters were killed on 20 April, among them a 15-year-old boy, and over four dozen were injured by Israeli soldiers. Another protester later died of wounds sustained that day. Before the expected protests, the IDF dropped leaflets over Gaza Strip warning anyone against approaching the fence or attempting to damage it.

Five Palestinians were fatally shot on by Israeli live fire on 20 April.

• Mohammad Ayoub, 14, of Al Falouja neighborhood in Jabalia refugee camp, was fatally shot in the head. His brother and cousin, who were eyewitnesses to his shooting, stated that Ayoub was sitting on the ground, then ran to escape the effects of tear gas, at which time he was shot. He died at Al Shifa hospital. Ayoub was the fourth Palestinian child to be killed during the protests.
• Ahmed Abu Aqel, 25, of Jabalia. Abu Aqel was shot a previous demonstration over US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017. He walks on crutches due to the injury and was on a sand dune 150 meters from the fence at the time of his shooting, according to the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights. Israeli forces fatally shot him to the back of the head.
• Ahmed Al Athamna, 24, of Beit Hanoun, was fatally shot by bullet to the upper back, according to the Al Mezan Center.
• Sa’ad Abu Taha, 30, was fatally shot in the neck in eastern Khan Younis. He was approximately 100 meters from the border, according to the Al Mezan Center.
• Abdullah Shamali, 20, was injured by a bullet to his abdomen east of Rafah, and died on the night of 22–23 April.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 445 people were injured in protests, including 96 who were shot with live ammunition. 174 people were hospitalized while the remainder were treated at clinic tents at the protest sites.

27 April

According to Israeli military estimates, over 10,000 people gathered to join the day's protest, themed the "Day of Rebellious Youth."

For the first time in the five-week campaign, protesters reached the electrified border fence, having passed a smaller barbed wire barrier; Israeli soldiers fired shots and threw a hand grenade at a group of twelve men climbing the fence, hitting several in the head. A large crowd (the IDF reported "several hundred"; The New York Times, "thousands") of people rushed toward the Karni border crossing, after a speech by Hamas leader Ismail Radwan. The IDF launched tear gas and opened fire with live ammunition at the crowd, injuring several people. Israeli military sources state that at least two armed Palestinians, among the large crowd, approached the border and fired at least seven rounds at Israeli soldiers. According the New York Times, retaliatory Israeli fire, which included a hand grenade, wounded two unarmed protesters.

The Gaza Ministry of Health initially reported that three Palestinians were killed, all of them by bullets to the head. Two more Palestinians later died of wounds suffered on 27 April. Overall, Palestinian reports stated that 884 protesters had been wounded, some 174 by live Israeli fire. Four medical staff and six journalists were among those wounded.

• Azzam Oweida (15), shot in the head, died on 28 April
• Anas Abu Asr, fatally wounded near Gaza City, died on 3 May.

On the night of 27 April, the Israeli Air Force attacked six targets in the Port of Gaza belonging to Hamas naval commando forces, injuring four people. The Israeli army said it was responding to "terror acts and the major attempt to infiltrate the border into Israeli territory earlier in the day."

29 April

Three separate incidents along the fence occurred during the evening of 29 April between the IDF and Palestinians. In the first incident, the IDF said that two men "attempted to infiltrate" Israel from the southern strip, one was killed and the other captured after being wounded. In the second incident, the IDF said that two men who had crossed the fence "hurled explosive devices" at IDF soldiers before they shot and killed them. In a third incident, two Palestinians with breaching tools and knives were arrested while attempting to breach the fence.

2 May

A firebomb kite launched from Gaza caused a large fire in the Be'eri Forest, burning hundreds of dunams of woodland. Ten firefighter teams toiled to extinguish and contain the forest fire.

Photos of Palestinians preparing incendiary balloons were posted on Twitter.

4 May

Protesters organized for 4 May as the "Friday of the Palestinian Worker," in honor of International Workers' Day earlier in the week. Israeli officials estimated that 10,000 people participated in the protests. Shortly after noon, confrontations began between protesters, who threw stones, burned tires, and launched flammable kites, and Israeli soldiers, who fired tear gas and live ammunition.

By evening, medical officials estimated that 1,100 protesters were injured, including 82 shot with live ammunition, and 800 suffering from the effects of tear gas. Two off-the-shelf drones used by IDF were shot down by Palestinian slingshots. Protesters entered and damaged property used by Israeli forces at Kerem Shalom border crossing; Israeli officials said the property was on the Palestinian side of the border. The damage included burning a pipeline that Israel uses to supply fuel to Gaza.

Palestinians had prepared hundreds of firebomb kites, intending to fly them as swarms into Israel exploiting the heavy heat wave to ignite fires, however since the wind was blowing in the wrong direction to the west. The wind also blew tear gas and smoke from burning tires westwards into the Palestinian crowd chasing many away.

5 May

Six Hamas operatives were killed in an explosion in Deir al-Balah. A statement by Hamas' military wing blamed Israel – stating that it was a "heinous crime that has been committed against fighters." The IDF spokesperson stated that "the IDF is not involved in this incident in any way." A Palestinian, a source for Haaretz, said that it was "an explosion resulting from the handling of explosives inside a building"

The IDF struck a Hamas outpost in northern Gaza which was used to launch burning objects at Israeli territory. Maj Avichai Adraee tweeted "Attack kites are not a kids' game and we don't see it that way. Hamas is using you and is pushing you toward the circle of terrorism," while Shai Hajaj, head of Merhavim Regional Council in southern Israel, said "When the courts in Jerusalem are discussing petitions from left-wing organizations to tie the hands of the soldiers standing in front of the Gaza rioters who want to break through the fence, the arson continues in the field of farmers... We demand that the IDF stop this violence immediately."

6 May

Three Palestinians were killed, at the southern end of the Gaza border fence. According to the IDF, they were carrying petrol bombs, an ax, wire cutters, an oxygen mask and gloves.

7 May

Incendiary balloons launched from the Gaza strip set fire to a wheat field near Mefalsim and to the Be'eri Forest. Similar to the firebomb kites, the incendiary balloon lofted an already-lit Molotov cocktail. The normally prevailing westerly winds propel the balloons to Israel, and the burning Molotov cocktail causes the balloons to explode in midair, with burning material falling to the ground below.

It was reported by Haaretz that Hamas found itself in an "unprecedented" crisis and "dire" situation, and attempting to enter negotiations with Israel about establishing a long-term truce in order to ease the siege of the enclave, and lower tensions, without, as far as it is known, obtaining any clear response from Israel. The Israeli reluctance might, according to defense correspondent Amos Harel, lead to an explosion of rage on the forthcoming occasion of Nakba Day.

11 May

15,000 demonstrators took part in Friday protests. Some of them burned tires, in the hope the smoke would provide cover for saboteurs to destroy and cross the security fence, and threw grenades, pipe bombs and stones at Israeli troops. A 40-year-old Palestinian was killed and 973 were injured, seven of them critically. The IDF used new, small remote-controlled aircraft with knives on their wings to counter incendiary kites launched from Gaza, downing more than 40 kites.

Palestinians broke into the Kerem Shalom border crossing, the main conduit of goods in and of the strip, setting a gas pipeline alight, damaging a fuel pipe, and torching a conveyor belt. The Israeli air force destroyed an underground attack tunnel that reached just a few meters away from the border.

12 May

Israel announced that the Kerem Shalom border crossing "will remain closed until the damage caused by the riots are repaired and will reopen in accordance with a situation assessment," opening only for humanitarian cases until such a decision is made.

13 May

On 13 May, Israeli soldiers fired at protesters approaching within 75 feet (23 m) of the fence. Alaa Asawafiri, a 26-year-old woman who was part of a group of women shouting towards the fence, was shot in the stomach and hospitalised in critical condition.

14 May

Protests and violence on 14 May coincided with the ceremony marking the relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, which international media regarded as the reason for increased tensions. Both events were timed to mark 70 years since the foundation of Israel.

During the protests, the IDF used live fire, leading to 52 Gazan fatalities and injuring more than 1200 (according to Gaza health officials), making it "the bloodiest day in Gaza since the end of the 2014 war." By the end of the day, at least 60 Palestinian protesters were reported to have been killed. Palestinian sources said that about 2700 were injured. Some of those who were killed or injured included health care workers providing medical care to the protesters. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that during the day, a Hamas squad attempted to breach the border fence with Israel. All eight attackers were killed by Israeli troops in the exchange of gunfire.

The IDF said three of those killed had attempted to plant explosives at the security fence, and that in two incidents Israeli troops opened fire after they were shot at. The IDF Air Force attacked five Hamas targets in a Jabalia training camp in response to the attempt at planting explosives and shooting at IDF troops. Israel said that "Most of the people killed belonged to the Hamas terror group, and some to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad” and that "at least 24" of the people killed were later identified as known members of terrorist organizations . One Israeli soldier was lightly wounded by what was believed to be a Palestinian stone. Likud's Avi Dichter reassured the Knesset that he was not concerned about any possible breach of the border fence since "the IDF has enough bullets for everyone."

A senior member of Hamas stated that 50 of the dead that day were members of the organization, Hamas political bureau member Salah al-Bardawi said that 50 of the 62 killed in the protests of 14–15 May were Hamas members adding that these were "official numbers", though he did not specify whether they were members of Hamas' armed or political wing. Speaking to CNN, a Hamas spokesman, Abdel Latif Quanau, said he could not confirm or deny these numbers, and that "The protests are peaceful and include all political and military factions." Amira Hass viewed al-Bardawi's statement with skepticism saying that one her friends in Gaza told her that "This (figure of 50) is another typical exaggeration of ours". Islamic Jihad said three members of its Saraya al-Quds military wing were among those killed. An Islamic Jihad official said those killed were unarmed and participating in a legitimate protest. Hamas said of the 60 casualties on the 14 May protests, that 50 out of the 60 shot were Hamas members.

A spokesperson for the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Rupert Colville, called the killings an "outrageous human rights violation" by Israel. Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said "Those responsible for outrageous human rights violations must be held to account." Numerous countries expressed concern with the killings, including Russia, France, Germany, and the UK. Germany, the UK, Ireland, and Belgium called for an independent inquiry. The United States said the deaths were tragic and placed responsibility on Hamas, stating that Israel has the right to defend its borders. South Africa withdrew its ambassador to Israel, citing "the indiscriminate and grave manner of the latest Israeli attack". Turkey′s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, addressing Turkish students in London in a speech broadcast by Turkey's state television, said that Turkey would recall its ambassadors from Israel and the U.S, and said that Israel's action against Palestinian protesters was "genocide".

This statement started a diplomatic row between Turkish and Israeli leaders, causing the Knesset to propose that Israel officially recognize the killing of over a million Armenians by Ottoman Turkey in the early 20th century as an act of genocide, which modern-day Turkey has never acknowledged.

15 May

Protest organizers declared 15 May a day of mourning for those killed on the prior day. Fewer people attended protests at the border. One protester was killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

16 May

Several houses in the Israeli city of Sderot were hit by machine gun fire from Gaza, causing damage but no injuries. Israel said Hamas curbed Gaza protests after Egyptian pressure.

22 May

A group of Palestinians crossed the border fence and set fire to an abandoned IDF post near Bureij. Following the incident, IDF tanks fired at a Hamas post in the area of the incident.

25 May

Some 1,600 Gazans attended the weekly Friday protests in two locations. In one of the locations, dozens of youth reached less than 300 meters from the fence and burnt tires. East of the Gaza city reached the fence and tried to open it. The IDF Spokesperson's unit reported Palestinians threw an improvised explosive device towards soldiers. The IDF responded to the riots with crowd-control means and live ammunition, hurting at least 109 Palestinians, ten of whom from live ammunition, according to medical sources in Gaza. Firebomb kites were also flown by the rioters towards Israel and were shot down by Israeli soldiers. Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar visited one of the protest camps.

Casualties and damage

As of 21 May 2018, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, the casualty breakdown was as follows:

• 112 Killed of whom 13 were children (under 18)
• 13,190 Injured

The injured

• 7,618 struck by Live ammunition or rubber bullets
• 5,572 affected by Tear-gas causing symptoms of suffocation
• 332 Critically injured
• 3,422 Moderately injured
• 9,436 Lightly injured

• 2,096 Children injured
• 1,029 Women injured

Amputations

• 32 amputations

Medical personal

• 1 paramedic from the Palestinian Civil Defense killed
• 223 medics injured by either live fire or tear-gas suffocation

Material damage.

• 37 ambulances partly damaged.

Journalists

• 2 journalists were killed.
• 175 journalists were injured."

On 17 April 2018, The World Health Organization (WHO) voiced concern that nearly 350 people may be temporarily or permanently disabled.

The head of WHO's office in Gaza, Gerald Rockenschaub, described the casualties as overwhelming an already weak health care system: "the deteriorating humanitarian situation is extremely worrying. Hospitals in Gaza are overwhelmed with the influx of injured patients. With further escalations expected during the coming weeks, the increasing numbers of injured patients requiring urgent medical care is likely to devastate Gaza's already weakened health system, placing even more lives at risk."

Hundreds of dunams of Israeli crop fields were burned by firebomb kites launched from Gaza, with an estimated economic loss of several million shekels.

Medical situation

Doctors Without Borders released a statement on 14 May 2018 calling the Israeli response "inhuman and unacceptable" saying that the hospitals in Gaza were overwhelmed and in a chaotic situation comparable to the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict. It stated that "most of the wounded will be condemned to suffer lifelong injuries".

There have been several accusations of Israel attacking medical personnel. On 18 April, the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq accused Israel of shooting at civilians who were providing medical assistance to the wounded.

The Palestinian Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights in the Gaza Strip stated on 25 April that Israel had shot two paramedics working with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. It also stated that the situation has been compounded by Israel's refusal to allow personal safety equipment into Gaza including respirators.

A Canadian doctor, Tarek Loubani, was one of 19 medical personnel shot on 14 May. He stated that he was clearly marked, and believed that he was targeted by the Israeli military. One of the paramedics who treated Loubani was killed later on the same day. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was "appalled" at the shooting of Loubani and called for "an immediate independent investigation to thoroughly examine the facts on the ground - including any incitement, violence, and the excessive use of force".

Descriptions of casualties

Human Rights Watch (HRW) observers stated, with regard to 30 March, "while some protesters near the border fence burned tires and threw rocks, Human Rights Watch could find no evidence of any protester using firearms or any IDF claim of threatened firearm use at the demonstrations." The organization says there is evidence of Palestinians who did not pose any threat to Israeli guards being shot by the Israeli military. B'Tselem described Israeli actions as unlawful and said that "shooting unarmed demonstrators is illegal and the command that allows it is manifestly illegal."

The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, with ties to the Israel Defense Forces and the American Jewish Congress, published an "initial analysis", in which it stated that 26 of the first 32 people killed belonged to Palestinian militant organisations. The ITIC report identified thirteen of these as belonging to the military wings of these organizations, and six as members of the Gaza security forces. ITIC describes these identifications as "based on sources of varying reliability."

On 29 April, with the death toll at 44 an Israeli officer stated that most of the deaths were unintentional, that the snipers aimed for the legs but sometimes missed, or the bullets ricocheted or the protesters suddenly bent over.

Legal cases

Both Yousef Karnaz and Mohammad Al-Ajouri each had one of their legs amputated after Israeli authorities denied their requests to receive medical treatment at a better-equipped hospital in the West Bank. Israeli authorities issued a statement: "The main consideration for the refusal stems from the fact that their medical condition is a function of their participation in the disturbances."

Adalah and Al Mezan Center for Human Rights petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court to grant an emergency hearing to consider the request on 12 April, but the Court decided to give the Israeli government three days to respond – due to this delay, doctors were forced to amputate their legs.

On 15 April, Yesh Din, Gisha, HaMoked, and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel jointly petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court to revoke the rules of engagement used by the IDF in response to the protests. They argue that "there is no prohibition on demonstrating in Gaza and that if incidents of violence or attempts to cross the fence occur during demonstrations, they alone constitute civil disturbances of the peace. In such disturbances, the law permits live fire only in cases of immediate mortal danger."

On 16 April, the Supreme Court ruled that Karnaz must be allowed to exit Gaza to receive medical treatment in the West Bank to save his remaining leg.

In response, the Israeli government refused to disclose its rules of engagement publicly, but said they "comply with Israeli law and with international law." The government indicated that it views the protests as "part of the armed conflict between the Hamas terror organization and Israel, with all that this implies." The Israeli Supreme Court heard arguments from both sides on 30 April.

Investigations

On 5 April, the IDF announced that its Southern Command would conduct an internal investigation into the deaths of civilians during the prior week. Brigadier General Moti Baruch was appointed to lead a second government investigation. Press reports indicate that Baruch's investigation will focus on incidents which appear to have a cause for inquiry.

Tactics

Palestinian tactics

Observers from the International Rescue Committee and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that the majority of protesters acted nonviolently on 30 March and 6 April. Protest camps are set up 700 meters from the border. Protest actions near the camps have been large, diverse in participation, and peaceful. protesters at the camps are engaged in a sit-in protest organized around their tents. Each tent is labeled with the town or village from which its occupants were expelled. On both of the larger protest days, hundreds of primarily young men have approached or entered the 300-meter exclusion zone declared by Israeli military forces, thrown stones, hurled Molotov cocktails, and attempted to plant Palestinian flags. A New York Times account describes the purpose of approaching the fence as "a powerful statement of defiance, bravery and national pride" among Palestinians.

Palestinian protesters have used burning tires to obstruct the sightlines of Israeli snipers and T-shirts and masks to protect themselves from tear gas. Palestinians erected earthen embankments near the 300 m mark to protect those further away from Israeli fire. Tent encampments allow protesters to sleep, eat, and live on site. These spaces have hosted religious gatherings, weddings, and often have a festive atmosphere. Protest organizer, Ahmad al-Najjar, has described the motivation as follows: "we are trying to practice a normal life here, I believe it is our right to do so."

The Israeli military accused Hamas of using the protests as a guise to launch attacks against Israel, and warned about further reprisals. Israel stated that Hamas is forcing bus companies to transport people to the border for 6 April protests. Hamas has been offering payments to families of Palestinians who are wounded or killed during these events.

A Hamas spokesperson promised US$3,000 to the relatives of those killed, while Palestinians who were injured by Israeli troops would get $200 to $500 in compensation, depending on the injury.

Israeli politicians have accused Hamas of using protesters as human shields. The United States' Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt stated, with regards to the planned 6 April protest, that " condemn leaders and protestors who call for violence or who send protestors – including children – to the fence, knowing that they may be injured or killed".

Israeli tactics

The Israeli military has deployed soldiers, including snipers and tanks, to the border. Soldiers have opened fire on Palestinians approaching the fence with tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition. Soldiers are firing from artificial sand berms that overlook the protests.

Israeli tear gas canisters have penetrated more than 300 metres (980 ft) into the Gaza Strip. An investigation by B'Tselem found that Israeli soldiers launched tear gas to the family tents, located 400 to 600 metres (1,300 to 2,000 ft) from the fence, causing hundreds of people to suffer injuries. Protest participants interviewed by B'Tselem reported cases of suffering from tear gas inhalation and injury from tear gas canister impacts.

While the IDF has not publicly disclosed its rules of engagement, press reports indicate that soldiers are permitted to shoot armed protesters within 300 metres (980 ft) of the fence and unarmed protesters within 100 metres (330 ft). The IDF has stated that its soldiers are advised to first fire warning shots, then wounding shots, before taking fatal shots.

On 6 April, the IDF used industrial-sized fans to disperse the smoke and then water cannons in unsuccessful attempts to douse fires from burning tires.

Worldwide protests

Protests, expressing solidarity with the protesters and condemning the use of lethal force by Israeli forces, have appeared across Israel, the US, UK, and Australia. Thousands of protestors gathered in Tel Aviv, Washington D.C., Boston, London, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol, and Melbourne. Along with 250 others at a Tel Aviv protest, Michael Sfard, a human rights lawyer and political activist, was quoted as saying: "As an Israeli, my duty is to protest against the evils that are done in my name." On 2 April, "hundreds" of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv, Jaffa, and Yad Mordechai to protest the IDF's use of deadly force against the Palestinians on Gaza border. In Yad Mordecha, near the Israel-Gaza border, protesters had banners reading "Free Gaza," "Stop the Massacre", and "Gaza is Dying".

In Boston, Massachusetts, eight protestors, who chained themselves to the exterior door of the Israeli Consulate, were arrested by police for being a disorderly person, disturbing the peace, and trespassing. Naturei Karta anti-Zionism protestors joined some thousands in London, UK, to show solidarity with Palestinians.

Reactions

The escalation of violence in Gaza concerned the entire Arab world. Jordan and Egypt condemned Israel's use of force, considering recent developments as harmful to brokering peace. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exchanged heated remarks over the border clashes; Erdogan labeled the Israeli response an "inhumane attack" amid growing international criticism of the Israeli military.

States

This section contains too many or overly lengthy quotations. Please help summarize the quotations. Consider transferring direct quotations to Wikiquote or excerpts to Wikisource. (May 2018)

Domestic

•  Israel: The Prime Minister's Arabic-language spokesman Ofir Gendelman wrote in response (6 April) to a video showing a flag with a swastika lying between two Palestinian flags, "Hamas proudly declares that its aim is to annihilate Israel & the Jewish people. The genocidal message has been received. We will defend our country." Two days later Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman defended Israel's conduct from foreign critics by saying, "there are no innocent people in the Gaza Strip. Everyone's connected to Hamas, everyone gets a salary from Hamas, and all the activists trying to challenge us and breach the border are Hamas military wing activists."
•  Palestine: President Mahmoud Abbas declared a day of mourning on 31 March.

International

•  Australia: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull blamed Hamas for Palestinian deaths. He said that "Hamas's conduct is confrontational. They’re seeking to provoke the Israeli Defense Forces". He added that Hamas is "pushing people to the border. In that conflict zone, you’re basically pushing people into circumstances where they are very likely to be shot at."
•  Costa Rica: On 15 May an official statement from the Foreign Ministry expressed that Costa Rica's government "deeply regrets" the loss of civilian lives and called for Israel to refrain from the “violent repression” of Palestinian civilians.
•  Egypt: On 14 May, Egypt condemned what it said was Israel's "targeting of Palestinian civilians" in Gaza.
•  France: On 14 May, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned "the violence of Israeli armed forces against demonstrators."
•  Germany: Germany's Foreign Ministry condemned Israeli actions, saying that "live ammunition is only to be used when other, weaker methods of deterrence do not achieve the goal". Germany called for an independent investigation into Israel's killing of Palestinian protestors." At the same time Germany condemned Hamas by saying "It is clear that everyone has the right to peaceful protest, but it is just as clear that this right to peaceful protest should not be abused in order to provoke violence. And Hamas has been pushing for an escalation of violence."
•  Indonesia: The Indonesian government condemned "violence and atrocities committed by Israeli soldiers" and called for an independent investigation into the "disproportional use of violence."
•  Iran: Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated: "Israeli regime massacres countless Palestinians in cold blood as they protest in world's largest open air prison. Meanwhile, Trump celebrates move of U.S. illegal embassy and his Arab collaborators move to divert attention. A day of great shame."
•  Jordan: On 15 May, King Abdullah II of Jordan condemned Israeli actions against the "brotherly" Palestinians in Gaza.
•  Malta: The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion stated that it regretted the violence that occurred. It "call on Israel to adopt a measured response to all protests and actions that can be perceived as a threat" and stated that "the use of force must be proportionate at all times." It also encouraged peace between Israel and Palestine, promoting the two-state solution.
•  Morocco: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Israeli actions. The ministry wrote in a statement that "the Kingdom denounces the Israeli occupation forces’ use of excessive force, ignoring the peaceful nature of the demonstrations."
•  South Africa: On 4 April, Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisulu condemned Israeli actions and called for an independent investigation into deaths.
•  Sweden: Ambassador to the UN Olof Skoog condemned Israeli actions and called for an independent investigation into deaths, saying that "Israel, as the occupying power, has a responsibility to protect Palestinian civilians and must fully respect the right to peaceful protest".
•  Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused Israel of committing a 'genocide', called Israel a "terrorist state", and condemned the United States for moving its embassy to Jerusalem. On 14 May, Turkey called for an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
•  United States: Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said that "Anyone who truly cares about children in Gaza should insist that Hamas immediately stop using children as cannon fodder in its conflict with Israel."
•  Vatican: Pope Francis condemned the violence and called upon both sides to redouble efforts "so that dialogue, justice and peace prevail."
•  United Kingdom: On 15 May, British Prime Minister Theresa May said, speaking alongside Turkish President Erdoğan, that "There is an urgent need to establish the facts of what happened yesterday through an independent and transparent investigation, including why such a volume of live fire was used and what role Hamas played in events."

Supranational organisations

•  Arab League: The Arab League condemned the continuous discrimination and violence against peacefull Palestinian protestors, upon Saudi Arabia's request, the Organization held a summit on the 17th of May in its Headquarters in Cairo on a Ministerial level to discuss a proper response to the continuing human rights violations done by Israel.
•  EU: On 4 April, the European Union expressed deep alarm over "the use of live ammunition by Israeli Security Forces as a means of crowd control," and called on Israel to investigate every death and prosecute the perpetrators where appropriate.
• International Criminal Court: On 8 April, Fatou Bensouda, prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, issued a public warning to Israelis and Palestinians that, "violence against civilians – in a situation such as the one prevailing in Gaza – could constitute crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or "the Court"), as could the use of civilian presence for the purpose of shielding military activities."
•  UN: UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, observed that the situation "underlines the urgency of revitalizing the peace process aiming at creating the conditions for a return to meaningful negotiations." Speaking to the UN Security Council in a meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Nikolay Mladenov, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace, said that Gaza was about to "explode" and called for "actions to prevent another war." Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned use of "excessive force" by Israeil and said that security forces had to be "held to account."
  • Elizabeth Throssell, a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the use of deadly force was largely unjustified, since such force may only be used as a last resort when there is an imminent threat of death or serious injury. "An attempt to approach or cross the green-line fence by itself certainly does not amount to a threat to life or serious injury that would justify the use of live ammunition," the office said. The United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Palestinian territories echoed the argument and stated: "The killing of demonstrators in violation of these rules, and within the context of occupation, may amount to willful killing, a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as a war crime."

NGOs

• Amnesty International: On 27 April, the organization called for worldwide arms embargo on Israel for its "disproportionate response" to the protests.
• Shurat HaDin filed a complaint in the International Criminal Court against Hamas leaders Khaled Mashal, Saleh al-Arouri, and Zahar Jabarin for the use of children as human shields in the conflict along the border based on a clause in the Rome Statute that prohibits recruitment of children under the age of 15 to a militant organization. According to Shurat Hadin Director Nitzana Darshan-Leitner "The death of a 15-year-old boy near the Gaza border last week was a direct result of the war crimes committed by Hamas leaders against their own people".

Individuals

Retired British Colonel Richard Kemp said that it was not a peaceful demonstration, but "a deliberate and specific intent by terrorist organizations to penetrate the State of Israel and kill civilians and the IDF has no option except to use lethal force to stop such a dangerous threat."

Israeli historian Zeev Sternhell wrote that, "the weekly killing on the Gaza Strip border is a campaign of barbarism, exposing the mentality of the society in whose name the army acts: We can do anything we like."

Five former IDF snipers, assisted by Breaking the Silence, published a letter expressing "shame and sorrow" for the killings and stating, "instructing snipers to shoot to kill unarmed demonstrators who pose no danger to human life is another product of the occupation and military rule over millions of Palestinian people, as well as of our country's callous leadership, and derailed moral path."

Peter Beinart, reflecting on the succession of incidents marking the Land Day protests of 2018, wrote that Palestinians were rushing towards Israeli snipers because their land was fast becoming "uninhabitable", with the UN predicting it would be unliveable by 2020.

On 15 May, a group of nine prominent Israelis wrote a letter to The Guardian in which they compared the killings on the previous day to the Sharpeville massacre, and called for international intervention.

See also

• Border barrier for a list of border barriers
• List of violent incidents in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, 2018

References

1. "Palestinians carry on rallies in Gaza on third consecutive Friday – Xinhua – English.news.cn". Xinhua News Agency.
2. al-Mughrabi, Nidal. "Israeli forces kill three Gaza border protesters, wound 600: medics".
3. Ari Gross, Judah (18 April 2018). "Kite from Gaza sets fire to wheat field in Israel". The Times of Israel.
4. 11 Wounded at Israel-Gaza Border as Palestinians March in West Bank in Solidarity, Haaretz, 1 April 2018
5. IDF RELEASES DETAILS OF HOW IT PREVENTED A HAMAS BORDER CROSSING FROM GAZA, 15 May 2018, The Jerusalem Post
6. ^ "Gaza protests: All the latest updates". Al Jazeera.
7. ^ Israel faces outcry over Gaza killings during Jerusalem embassy protests, Guardian, 15 May 2018, "Until this week, no Israeli had been harmed since protests began on 30 March. An IDF spokesman, Lt Col Jonathan Conricus, said one soldier had been “slightly wounded by shrapnel” on Monday but he did not have details on the source of the injury."
8. Alouf, Abu (30 March 2018). "15 Palestinians reported killed by Israeli fire as Gaza border protest builds". Los Angeles Times.
9. Halbfinger, David (13 April 2018). "300 Meters in Gaza: Snipers, Burning Tires and a Contested Fence". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
10. David M. Halbfinger, Iyad Abuheweila, ‘One Dead Amid Violence in 3rd Week of Protests at Gaza-Israel Fence,’ The New York Times 13 April 2018.’They are objecting to Israel's 11-year-old blockade of Gaza and seeking to revive international interest in Palestinian claims of a right of return to the lands they were displaced from in 1948.’
11. Khaled Abu Toameh, Hamas vows Gaza protests last until Palestinians return to all of Palestine,’ The Times of Israel 9 April 2018.’The protests are an uprising for "Jerusalem, Palestine, and the right of return," he said, referring to the demand that Palestinian refugees and their descendants be allowed to return to their former homes in Israel.’
12. Adam Rasgon, ‘Masses of Gazans head to border area for 'right of return' says organizer,’ The Jerusalem Post 28 March 2018.’Masses of Palestinians are expected to come to the Gaza border on Friday and move into tents there for a planned six-week-long protest "to demand the right of return to the homes and villages that they were expelled from in 1948," Ahmad Abu Ratima, an organizer of the protest, told The Jerusalem Post.'
13. Khoury, Jack; Kubovich, Yaniv; Zikri, Almog Ben (15 May 2018). "Mass Gaza Border Clashes: 58 Palestinians Killed by Israeli Gunfire, 1,113 Wounded". Haaretz. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
14. ^ Clarke, Hilary (1 April 2018). "Diplomats: US blocks UN statement for independent inquiry into Gaza violence". Retrieved 6 April 2018.
15. ^ Morris, Loveday; Balousha, Hazem (14 May 2018). "Israelis kill more than 50 Palestinians in Gaza protests, health officials say". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
16. Halbfinger, David M. (15 April 2018). "Hamas Sees Gaza Protests as Peaceful – and as a 'Deadly Weapon'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 20 April 2018. after a grass-roots idea for a peaceful, long-lasting protest along the Gaza fence started gaining widespread support, Hamas brought a halt to what had been a fairly steady tempo of rocket launches into Israel and threw its considerable organizational might behind the demonstrations. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
17. ^ "Israeli army kills 17 Palestinians in Gaza protests". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
18. ^ Khoury, Jack; Kubovich, Yaniv (27 April 2018). "Gaza Protests: 'Three Killed, 349 Wounded' as Palestinians March on Border for Fifth Week". Haaretz. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
19. ^ al-Mughrabi, Nidal (4 May 2018). "Israeli troops fire shots, tear gas at Gaza protesters, 1,100..." Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
20. ^ Kershner, Isabel; Abuheweila, Iyad (30 March 2018). "Israeli Military Kills 15 Palestinians in Confrontations on Gaza Border". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
21. "At least 14 Palestinians killed in Land Day protests". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
22. ^ Khoury, Jack; Kubovich, Yaniv; Zikri, Almog Ben (30 March 2018). "15 Killed, Dozens Wounded, as Thousands Gather on Gaza-Israel Border for "March of Return"". Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via Haaretz.
23. "At least 5 Palestinians shot dead by Israeli troops as thousands march on Gaza-Israel border for 'March of Return'". newsx.com. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
24. Williams, Jennifer (2 April 2018). "The recent violence at the Gaza-Israel border, explained". Vox. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
25. ^ Gazans Fly Firebombs Tied to Kites Into Israel, Sparking Several Blazes, Haaretz, 16 April 2018
26. ^ Incendiary kite from Gaza causes massive fire in Be'eri Forest, YNET, 2 May 2018
27. ^ "IDF warns of larger military response to Gaza protest". The Jerusalem Post. 31 March 2018.
28. Sanchez, Raf; Oliphant, Roland (14 May 2018). "Gaza braces for protests and funerals a day after at least 58 Palestinians killed by Israeli troops". The Daily Telegraph.
29. Fares Akram and Karin Laub, AP (2 April 2018). "Gaza toll rises to 18, Israel rejects excessive force claims". The Washington Post. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
30. al-Mughrabi, Nidal (6 April 2018). "Israeli troops kill seven Palestinians on day of heightened Gaza border protests: medics". Reuters. Retrieved 9 April 2018. Israeli troops shot dead seven Palestinian protesters …Gaza medical officials said, raising the death toll to 27 in the week-long disturbances.
31. "OCHA Flash Update: No Palestinian fatalities but hundreds reported injured in Gaza during continuing demonstrations along the fence with Israel". ReliefWeb. 5 May 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
32. "IDF uses tear gas, live fire as thousands protest at Gaza border". The Times of Israel. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
33. "18 said killed, including terror operatives, as 35,000 rally at Gaza border". The Times of Israel. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
34. Khoury, Jack; Landau, Noa; Haaretz (14 May 2018). "Jerusalem Embassy and Gaza Protests: 18 Palestinians Reported Killed by Israeli Gunfire at Border". Haaretz. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
35. ^ "Israel: Gaza Killings Unlawful, Calculated". Human Rights Watch. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
36. ^ "Israel response to Gaza protests 'illegal': Israeli NGO". Anadolu Agency. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
37. "Amnesty: Israel must put an end to excessive and lethal force in Gaza". PNN. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
38. ^ Morris, Loveday; Balousha, Hazem; Eglash, Ruth (6 April 2018). "Burning tires, tear gas and live fire: Gaza clashes turn deadly". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
39. ^ Halbfinger, David M.; Abuheweila, Iyad; Kershner, Isabel (6 April 2018). "10 Killed in Gaza as Palestinian Protesters Face Off With Israeli Soldiers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
40. "US blocks UNSC statement on Israel's use of force on Land Day". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
41. "Ten Palestinians, including journalist, killed in Gaza protests". NBC News. Retrieved 9 April 2018. The Israeli government has ruled out any right of return, fearing the country would lose its Jewish majority.
42. "What Is Palestinian 'Land Day' and Why Is Israel Worried?". Haaretz. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
43. Kimmerling, Baruch; Migdal, Joel S. (1993). Palestinians: The Making of a People. Free Press. p. 178. ISBN 978-0-02-917321-3.
44. "Israeli army kills 17 Palestinians in Gaza protests", Al Jazeera, 30 March 2018.
45. GREG MYRE (29 December 2005). "Israel calls northern Gaza area no-go zone". Retrieved 9 April 2018.
46. "Exposing explosive devices? Israel 'destroys Palestinian crops'along security fence". Russia: RT. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
47. 300 Meters in Gaza: Snipers, Burning Tires and a Contested Fence, The New York Times, 13 April 2018
48. Gideon Levy,Alex Levac  'Nothing Makes Sense Here: A Journey Along the Fences and Barbed Wire Suffocating the Gaza Strip,' Haaretz 4 April 2018: Farhat says the idea of a nonviolent march toward the border was thought up as early as 2011 by Ahmed Abu Rteima, a Palestinian journalist and writer, author of the Arabic-language book "Organized Chaos," and now a spokesperson for the "Great March of Return." At the time people thought the idea was crazy, because they were afraid Israel would fire at the marchers
49. Enas Fares Ghannam, Israel's threats of violence, Gaza protesters have peaceful dream Despite Israel's threats of violence, Mondoweiss, 29 March 2018.
50. Muhammad Shehada,"The full story behind the 'March of Return'", Ynet, 30 March 2018.
51. Donald Macintyre, "Inside Gaza: 'these are people with nothing to lose'", The Guardian, 8 April 2018.
52. "Gaza Strip Initiative, In Collaboration With Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, And Supporters of Fatah's Muhammad Dahlan: Masses Will Throng To Border With Israel To Demand Right Of Return". MEMRI. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
53. Sarah Helm "The Gaza 'Return March' has begun – the refugees won’t stop until their voices are heard", The Independent, 30 March 2018.
54. Halbfinger, David M. (7 April 2018). "Though Deadly, Gaza Protests Draw Attention and Enthusiasm". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 April 2018. After the second Friday of protests, the Palestinians appeared unified. Though Hamas effectively managed the demonstrations in many ways, those participating came from the range of Gaza political factions and for the most part displayed only one banner – the Palestinian national flag.
55. David M. Halbfinger,4 Israelis Hurt by Bomb Set in Flag at Gaza Fence, Igniting Night of Fighting, The New York Times, 17 February 2018.
56. Deadly Gaza Protest Spurs Debate in Israel Over Army’s Actions, The Wall Street Journal, 4 April 2018
57. Anna Ahronheim, 'High alert on Gaza border after string of incursions,' Jerusalem Post, 28 March 2018:'The following night the army mistook machine-gun fire in Gaza as rockets being fired into Israel, setting off warning sirens throughout southern Israel and the deployment of 10 expensive Iron Dome interceptor missiles.'
58. Ori Lewis, 'Israeli interceptors deployed against machine gun fire, not rockets: army,' Reuters, 25 March 2018.'Heightening tension around the border, Hamas began a military exercise on Sunday in which its fighters set off explosions and test-fired rockets into the sea. Gunfire echoed across Gaza as hundreds of fighters were deployed for the exercise, which is due to continue on Monday'.'
59. Yoav Zitun,Iron Dome system triggered due to 'system oversensitivity', Ynetnews, 26 March 2018.
60. Analysis Iron Dome Malfunction Embarrasses Israel as Hamas Seeks Missile Defense System's Vulnerability, Haaretz, 27 March 2018
61. Israeli Army Hits Hamas Targets in Gaza; Rounds Fired From Strip Hit Israeli Home, Haaretz, 12 April 2018
62. High alert on Gaza border after string of incursions, The Jerusalem Post, 28 March 2018.
63. IDF tanks shell Hamas positions after 2 Gazans start fire near border, The Times of Israel, 28 March 2018.
64. "Palestinian Land Day: Israel deploys 100 snipers to Gaza border ahead of expected protests". The Independent. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
65. "Israel: Gaza Killings Unlawful, Calculated". Human Rights Watch. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018. On March 29, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Arabic spokesman posted a video of a man shot in the leg, stating, "This is the least that anyone who tries to cross the security fence between Gaza and Israel will face." On the morning of 30 March, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman tweeted in Arabic that, "Anyone who approaches the border puts his life in jeopardy."
66. "WHO Special Situation Report – Gaza, occupied Palestine territory (March 2018)". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
67. "Israeli troops wound dozens on Gaza border as Palestinians bury dead from earlier violence". Reuters. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
68. "Palestinians say over a dozen killed in Gaza border protest". The Guardian. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
69. ^ Yoav Zitun, Elior Levy, and Matan Tzuri Report: Israel holds body of Gaza terrorist killed Friday, Ynetnews, 1 April 2018.
70. Family of slain soldier held by Hamas urges Israel to keep bodies of Gaza gunmen, The Times of Israel, 1 April 2018.
71. ^ Thrall, Nathan (2 April 2018). "Gaza Protests Mark Shift in Palestinian National Consciousness". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
72. ^ "'Imagine the march of return along Israel's main highway'". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
73. "IDF: At least 10 of the 16 killed at Gaza border were members of terror groups". The Times of Israel. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
74. "Hamas says Gaza toll rises to 18 as another Palestinian dies of wounds". The Times of Israel. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
75. "Palestinian injured during Great March of Return dies of wounds in Gaza". وكالة الأنباء والمعلومات الفلسطينية – وفا. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
76. Morris, Loveday; Balousha, Hazem (31 March 2018). "'He had no gun, no molotov': Gaza families call for investigation into Israeli use of fatal force". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
77. Balousha, Hazem; Holmes, Oliver (31 March 2018). "The Gaza Strip mourns its dead after protest is met with bullets". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
78. Balousha, Hazem; Holmes, Oliver (31 March 2018). "Palestinians hold day of mourning after 773 'shot with live ammunition'". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
79. Jack Khoury, Gaza Footage Shows Protester Shot in the Back While Running Away From Israeli Border Wall, Haaretz, 31 March 2018.
80. "Israeli forces shoot dead 16 Palestinians in one day during protests in Gaza", Ma'an News Agency, 31 March 2018.
81. Ben Zirki, Almog; Kubovich, Yaniv; Khoury, Jack (1 April 2018). "11 Wounded at Israel-Gaza Border as Palestinians March in West Bank in Solidarity". Haaretz.
82. "Palestinians say video shows Gaza youth being shot in head". The Times of Israel. 2 April 2018.
83. "IDF shoots, kills Palestinian who broke through Gaza fence". The Times of Israel. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
84. Khoury, Jack; Ben Zikri, Almog (5 April 2018). "Israeli Aircraft Attacks Armed Palestinian Near Gaza Border". Haaretz.
85. Ari Gross, Judah (5 April 2018). "IDF footage shows Gazan approaching border with rifle before airstrike". The Times of Israel.
86. Ben Zikri, Almog (1 April 2018). "Three Unarmed Palestinians Arrested After Crossing Into Israel From Gaza, Army Says". Haaretz.
87. ^ Judah Ari Gross (5 April 2018). "As Gaza, IDF gear up for protest rerun, the border may no longer be the limit". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
88. Jacob Magid, 'Israel warns of dire pollution as Gazans amass tires to torch at protest.' The Times of Israel 5 April 2018
89. Israel keeps 'open-fire' rule as Gaza braces for more mass protests Middle East Eye 5 April 2018.
90. ^ Jacob Magid (5 April 2018). "Israel warns of dire pollution as Gazans amass tires to torch at protest". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
91. ^ al-Mughrabi, Nidal (6 April 2018). "Israeli troops kill seven Palestinians on day of heightened Gaza..." Reuters. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
92. ^ "OCHA Flash Update: For the second Friday in succession, multiple Palestinian casualties during demonstrations at the perimeter fence in the Gaza Strip". ReliefWeb. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
93. ^ "Palestinian journalist dies after being shot by Israeli forces". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
94. "Israeli Defense Chief: Anyone Who Flies Drones Over IDF Soldiers Puts Himself at Risk". Haaretz. 8 April 2018.
95. Report: Palestinian journalist killed in Gaza was a Hamas activist, The Jerusalem Post, 10 April 2018
96. "Israel says slain Gaza journalist was Hamas militant". The Washington Post. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
97. "On Second Friday of Great March of Return and Breaking Siege in Gaza Strip, Israeli Forces Kill 7 Civilians and Wound 718 Others, Including 77 Children and 17 Women, Without Posing Threat to Soldiers' Life". Palestinian Center for Human Rights. Retrieved 10 April 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
98. "Palestinian injured in Gaza border clashes dies of wounds". The Times of Israel. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
99. "Israeli jets target Gaza position after alleged 'infiltration attempt'". The Jordan Times. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
100. "CPJ calls on Israel to hold killers of Yaser Murtaja to account". Committee to Protect Journalists. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
101. Two explosive devices brought to Gaza fence, IDF says, The Jerusalem Post, 8 April 2018.
102. Jack Khoury and Amos Harel, Israel Strikes Hamas Target in Gaza in Response to Border Infiltration Attempt, Haaretz, 9 April 2018.
103. Palestinians set off bomb against IDF vehicle in Gaza; army retaliates, The Times of Israel, 11 April 2018.
104. "Death toll hits 33 in Gaza as two more Palestinians are killed". Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
105. "Israeli forces kill two Palestinians as Gaza protests continue". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
106. ^ Lee, Ian, Abeer Salman and Ameera Ahmed,. "1 Palestinian killed, nearly 1,000 injured in latest Gaza protests". CNN. Retrieved 15 April 2018. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
107. IDF faces third straight week of Gaza border protests, YNet, 13 April 2018.
108. Balousha, Hazem; Holmes, Oliver (13 April 2018). "One Palestinian killed and hundreds injured in Gaza protests". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
109. "Deaf teenager is latest Palestinian to die of wounds sustained during Gaza protests". Ma'an News Agency. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
110. "Palestinian journalist, shot by Israeli troops at Gaza protest,..." Reuters. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
111. "A second journalist shot by Israeli troops during the Gaza border protests has died". Newsweek. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
112. "OCHA Flash Update: Decline in Palestinian casualties during demonstrations in the Gaza Strip near the perimeter fence". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
113. Several killed in mystery blast in Gaza, The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 April 2018
114. Four Islamic Jihad members killed in Gaza explosion, 14 April 2018.
115. Israeli army destroys 'deepest and longest' tunnel from Gaza, CNN, 15 April 2018
116. Wheat field set ablaze by Palestinian 'kite terrorism', YNET, 17 April 2018.
117. ^ Jnena, Anas. "Meet the Palestinian women at the forefront of Gaza's protests". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
118. Abuheweila, Iyad; Kershner, Isabel (22 April 2018). "He Played at Death in a Gaza Cemetery. Then He Was Buried There". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 April 2018. Over the weekend, the military revised its initial estimate of the number of participants in Friday's protest, raising it from 3,000 to about 10,000 by the day's end.
119. "4 Palestinians killed in clashes with Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza". Shiite News. Shiitenews.com. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
120. Akram, Fares; Laub, Karin (21 April 2018). "15-year-old among four dead as Israeli soldiers fire on Palestinian protesters". The Independent. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
121. "Two Gazans die of Israeli gunshot wounds suffered in March of Return". Middle East Eye. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
122. "Israel drops leaflets warning Gaza protesters to keep away from fence". The Times of Israel. 20 April 2018.
123. al-Mughrabi, Nidal. "Dead Gaza teenager ignored mother's warning". U.S. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
124. ^ Abuheweila, Iyad; Kershner, Isabel (22 April 2018). "He Played at Death in a Gaza Cemetery. Then He Was Buried There". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
125. ^ "Four Palestinian Protesters Killed and 136 Injured in Demonstrations in the Gaza Strip". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
126. "Two Gazans die of Israeli gunshot wounds suffered in March of Return". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
127. ^ "The Latest: Palestinians will seek UN probe of Gaza violence". The Washington Post. 20 April 2018. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
128. ^ "Including journalists and medical staff : Three Killed, 349 Wounded Wounded' as Palestinians March on Gaza Border". PNN. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
129. ^ Abuheweila, Iyad; Halbfinger, David M. (27 April 2018). "Gaza Protesters Charge Fence; 3 Killed, 100s Wounded". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
130. "Three Killed, 349 Wounded Wounded' as Palestinians March on Gaza Border". PNN. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
131. Jack Khoury,Palestinians: Teen Shot by Israeli Forces During Gaza Protest Dies of Wounds Haaretz 28 April 2018.
132. Gideon Levy,"Why Did the Beautiful Boy Not Reach 20?", Haaretz, 29 April 2018.
133. Associated Press (3 May 2018). "Gaza man dies of wounds sustained in border protest". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
134. "Israel strikes Hamas naval post in Gaza in response to attack on border fence", The Times of Israel, 27 April 2018.
135. ^ Yaniv Kubovich, 'Three Palestinians Killed by Israeli Army After Tring to Breach Gaza Border,' Haaretz 29 April 2018
136. Israeli military kills three Palestinians along Gaza Strip border, Reuters, 29 April 2018
137. ^ Khoury, Jack; Kubovich, Yaniv (4 May 2018). "Gaza Protests: '22 Wounded' in Sixth Consecutive Border March". Haaretz. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
138. "In Weekend Gaza Border Violence, Gazans Burn Their Own Gas Pipeline". JewishPress. 5 May 2018.
139. "Flaming Kites From Gaza Thwarted by Winds", The New York Times, 4 May 2018.
140. Six Said Killed as Explosion Rocks Central Gaza Strip, Haaretz, 5 May 2018
141. IDF strikes Hamas outpost in Gaza used as launching pad for 'attack kites', The Jerusalem Post, 6 May 2018
142. IDF shoots dead 3 Palestinians said to be planting bombs on Gaza fence, YNET, 6 May 2018
143. Incendiary balloons from Gaza cause damage to Israeli fields, YNET, 7 May 2018.
144. Amos Harel, "Israel's Reluctance to Discuss Hamas' Truce Offer Could Blow Up on Nakba Day", Haaretz, 7 May 2018.
145. As Gaza protests continue, IDF employs new tactics to combat riots, The Jerusalem Post, 12 May 2018.
146. ^ Israel closes Gaza border crossing damaged by Palestinians, Reuters, 12 May 2018.
147. "At the Gaza-Israel Fence: Raw Nerves and Shots Fired". The New York Times. 13 May 2018. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
148. In Jerusalem, an embassy opens. In Gaza, at least 58 die on bloodiest day in years: A special dispatch that contrasts violent scenes on the Israeli-Gaza border with celebrations marking opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem The Independent, 14 May 2018.
149. ^ "Gaza tense after deadliest day since 2014". BBC News. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
150. Sanchez, Raf; Oliphant, Roland (14 May 2018). "At least 41 Palestinians killed by Israeli troops in Gaza protests as US opens Jerusalem embassy". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
151. Holpuch, Amanda; Weaver, Matthew (15 May 2018). "Gaza: Nakba day protests as Palestinians bury those killed in embassy unrest – live updates". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
152. As it happened: Gaza protest violence BBC, 14 May 2018.
153. "London, Ont., physician Tarek Loubani shot in leg near Gaza border | CBC News". CBC. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
154. Dunham, Jackie (15 May 2018). "Canadian physician Tarek Loubani shot in Gaza Strip while providing medical care". CTVNews. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
155. IDF releases details of how it prevented a Hamas border crossing from Gaza, 15 May 2018, The Jerusalem Post
156. "Palestinians say 43 killed, including terror operatives, as 50,000 rally in Gaza". The Times of Israel. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
157. ^ "41 killed in Gaza riots; IAF strikes Hamas targets in northern strip". Ynet. 14 May 2018.
158. "IDF says it thwarted 8 Hamas gunmen attempting to breach fence Monday". Retrieved 17 May 2018.
159. Winer, Stuart (14 May 2018). "IDF has 'enough bullets for everyone', senior MK says of deadly Gaza clashes". The Times of Israel.
160. "Hamas official: 50 of the 62 Gazans killed in border violence were our members". Times of Israel. 16 May 2018.
161. "Hamas claims 50 of its members died in Monday's clashes in Gaza". CNN. 16 May 2018.
162. "Hamas official: 50 of the 62 Gazans killed in border violence were our members". The Times of Israel. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
163. CNN, Ian Lee and Salma Abdelaziz,. "Hamas claims 50 of its members died in Monday's clashes in Gaza". CNN. Retrieved 17 May 2018. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
164. "Israel hits Hamas base but Gaza protests fade". AFP.com. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
165. Lee, Ian; Abdelaziz, Salma (16 May 2018). "Hamas claims 50 of its members died in Monday's clashes in Gaza". CNN. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
166. Amira Hass 'We Die Anyway, So Let It Be in Front of the Cameras': Conversations With Gazans,' Haaretz 20 May 2018: 'The source of the report was an Arabic-language tweet by Avichay Adraee of the IDF Spokesman’s Office. He attached to the tweet, a short fragment from the hour-long-plus interview with Bardawil on the Facebook-transmitted news channel Baladna. . . Let's return to Bardawil. So he said that 50 of the 60 killed were Hamas members. I checked and was told that the official figure Hamas has is that from the beginning of the March of Return on March 30, 42 people linked to Hamas were among the 120 people killed: members of the movement, well-known activists, members of Hamas families. It seems that about 20 members of Hamas’ military wing were killed, and they were killed not near the protests but under circumstances that still must be clarified. But the rest were unarmed rank-and-file protesters. And they demonstrated because they were Gazans. But once Bardawil said what he said it’s hard to deny his words in public. “This (figure of 50) is another typical exaggeration of ours,” said my friend who didn’t come to wave his flag to me to say hello.'
167. "50 of Dead in Gaza Protests Were Hamas Activists, Says Senior Hamas Official". Haaretz. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
168. Andrew Bolt, HAMAS: 50 OF THE PROTESTERS ISRAEL SHOT WERE OUR MEMBERS, Herald Sun, 20 May 2018.
169. ^ Holmes, Oliver; Balousha, Hazem; Beaumont, Peter (15 May 2018). "Global protests grow after Israeli killing of Palestinian demonstrators". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
170. "Fierce exchanges over Gaza killings". BBC.com. 15 May 2018.
171. Wilner, Michael (14 May 2018). "Responsibility for Gaza deaths 'squarely with Hamas', White House says". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
172. "SA pulls ambassador out of Israel over Gaza violence". News24.
173. "Global outrage against Israel over Gaza killings". Hürriyet Daily News. Anadolu. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
174. "Turkish President accuses Israel of 'genocide' after Palestinian deaths on Gaza border". The Independent. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
175. "Erdogan accuses Israel of 'genocide' over Gaza deaths". The Daily Mail. AFP. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
176. "Israel to 'officially recognise' Armenian genocide following Turkey spat". TheNewArab. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
177. ^ Morris, Loveday; Eglash, Ruth (15 May 2018). "Gaza buries its dead as death toll from protests at fence with Israel rises to at least 60". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
178. Machine gun fire from Gaza hits nearby Israeli homes in Sderot, no injuries, 16 May 2018, Times of Israel
179. Israel says Hamas curbed Gaza protests after Egyptian warning, 16 May 2018, Reuters
180. IDF fires at terrorists crossing Gaza border fence, YNET, 22 May 2018, Elior Levy & Yoav Zitun & Matan Tzuri
181. Palestinians Cross Into Israel From Gaza; Army Hits Hamas Target With Tank Fire, Haaretz, 22 May 2018
182. Yoav Zitun, "Explosive device thrown at IDF force north of Gaza as border clashes resume." Ynet. 25 May 2018
183. 'Gaza: 112 Palestinians killed, including 13 children, in Great March of Return,' Ma'an News Agency 21 May 2018.
184. "UN OCHA Latest Update". UN OHCA. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
185. "Israel/OPT: Israeli forces must end the use of excessive force in response to "Great March of Return" protests". Amnesty International. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
186. "WHO 'concerned' over overwhelmed health services in the Gaza Strip". PNN. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
187. "Kite Terrorism: Compensation to Victims", Hadashot, 2 May 2018.
188. "MSF statement on violence on protestors in Gaza strip". 20 May 2018.
189. "Al Haq statement". 18 April 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
190. "Medical Care to Casualties Hindered by Israeli Forces Attacks on Medics in Gaza". 20 May 2018.
191. "London, Ont., physician Tarek Loubani shot in leg near Gaza border". 20 May 2018.
192. "Trudeau 'appalled' Canadian doctor was wounded in Gaza". 20 May 2018.
193. "Report: 80% of Palestinians killed in Gaza border crisis were terrorists". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
194. "Initial Analysis of the Identities of Gazans Killed During the 'Great Return March' on March 30 and April 6, 2018 – The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center". terrorism-info.org.il. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
195. Amos Harel, "Most Killings of Palestinians During Gaza Protests Unintentional, Senior Israeli Official Says", Haaretz, 29 April 2018.
196. ^ Khoury, Jack (12 April 2018). "Israel Denied Passage for Medical Treatment to Two Palestinians Who Protested in Gaza – and Their Legs Were Amputated". Haaretz. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
197. "2 injured Gaza protesters said to lose legs after access to West Bank denied". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
198. "Israel rights groups challenge army's open fire policy in court". Middle East Monitor. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
199. "Israeli Supreme Court rules on Adalah-Al Mezan petition: Israel must let Palestinian youth wounded by Israeli gunfire at protests leave Gaza for urgent care". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
200. ^ Kubovich, Yaniv (29 April 2018). "Israeli Army Refuses to Disclose Open-fire Policy for Gaza Border Protests". Haaretz. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
201. Khoury, Jack; Harel, Amos; Kubovich, Yaniv (5 April 2018). "Israeli Army to Investigate Gazan Protesters' Deaths as Second Border Rally Approaches". Haaretz. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
202. ^ "Brigadier general tapped to probe army's response to Gaza protests". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 19 April 2018. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
203. Halbfinger, David M. (7 April 2018). "Though Deadly, Gaza Protests Draw Attention and Enthusiasm". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
204. ^ Halbfinger, David M. (13 April 2018). "300 Meters in Gaza: Snipers, Burning Tires and a Contested Fence". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
205. ^ "Feature: Gaza protestors enjoy weddings, camel races despite confrontations". Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
206. Adam Rasgon (5 April 2018). "Ahead of fresh standoff, Hamas reveals payouts to injured protesters". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
207. "Hamas pays families of Gazans killed in border clashes with Israel". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
208. "US slams Gaza leaders who send children to border, 'knowing they may be killed'". The Times of Israel. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
209. ^ "Military fired teargas at family tents far from fence during Gaza protests, injuring hundreds". B'Tselem. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
210. ^ Shezaf, Hagar (1 April 2018). "Hundreds March in Tel Aviv in Solidarity With Gaza Following Deadly Protests". Haaretz.
211. ^ "Protesters chained themselves to door at Israeli consulate in Boston – The Boston Globe".
212. ^ "PressTV-1000s join anti-Israel rallies in UK, elsewhere".
213. teleSUR/vc-LJS. "US, UK Rally Against Israel As More Palestinians Killed in Gaza".
214. "Hundreds of Israelis protest IDF's deadly use of force on Gaza border". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 26 April 2018 suggested (help)
215. "Egypt, Jordan condemn Israel's use of force". The Jerusalem Post. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
216. "Gaza-Israel violence: Netanyahu and Erdogan in war of words". BBC. 1 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
217. "NINE KILLED DURING FRIDAY 'MARCH OF RETURN'". The Jerusalem Post. 8 April 2018.
218. "Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman defends use of force against Gaza protests | DW | 8 April 2018". Deutsche Welle. 8 April 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
219. "Australian PM: Hamas to blame for Gaza deaths". Retrieved 15 May 2018.
220. Cambronero, Natasha. "Costa Rica llama a Israel a 'detener la represión violenta contra la población civil palestina'". La Nación. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
221. "Egypt condemns Israel's 'targeting of Palestinian civilians' in Gaza: foreign ministry". Reuters. 14 May 2018
222. "France's Macron condemns Gaza violence, to call Israeli PM Tuesday". Reuters. 14 May 2018.
223. ANALYSIS: How will the killings in Gaza affect German-Israeli relations?". The Local. 15 May 2018.
224. Germany signals support for independent Gaza inquiry". Times of Israel. 15 May 2018.
225. "Indonesia strongly condemns Israeli attacks on Gaza protesters". The Jakarta Post. 31 March 2018.
226. "PressTV-Iran slams Israel's massacres of Palestinians 'in cold blood'". Retrieved 15 May 2018.
227. "King orders relief aid to Gaza Strip". The Jordan Times. 16 May 2018.
228. "'Malta deeply regrets the escalation of violence in Gaza' – government". The Malta Independent. 15 May 2018. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018.
229. "Morocco Condemns Israel’s Violent Attacks on Palestinians at Gaza". Morocco World News. 1 April 2018
230. "South Africa condemns Israeli forces' attack on Gaza". Middle East Monitor. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
231. "Swedish statement at the UN Security Council Briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question". Government Offices of Sweden. 15 May 2018.
232. "Erdogan calls Netanyahu 'terrorist', Israel 'terrorist state'". Al Jazeera. 1 April 2018.
233. "Turkey recalls ambassadors to Israel and United States". Al Jazeera. 14 May 2018.
234. "Haley: Hamas must stop using Gaza children as cannon fodder". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
235. Pope condemns Gaza killings, says Mideast needs justice, peace". Reuters. 16 May 2018.
236. "Meeting Erdogan, UK’s May calls for investigation into Gaza border violence". The Times of Israel. 15 May 2018.
237. staff, writer (16 May 2018). "Arab League will meet on Thursday to discuss escalating situation in Gaza". Al-Arabiya. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
238. "EU expresses concern over Israeli use of live fire for crowd control". The Times of Israel. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
239. Bowcott, Owen (8 April 2018). "Chief ICC lawyer calls for end to violence along Gaza border". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
240. "Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, regarding the worsening situation in Gaza". Retrieved 17 April 2018.
241. "'Gaza is about to explode,' UN envoy warns Security Council". UN News. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
242. ^ "Israeli forces kill four Palestinians, wound 955 at Gaza protest". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
243. "Press briefing note on Gaza and Guatemala". ohchr.org. Retrieved 17 April 2018. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |website= (help)
244. "UN human rights expert condemns horrific violence in Gaza". United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. 15 May 2018.
245. Israeli group seeks ICC action against Hamas for using children as shields, Israel Hayom, Yair Altman, 25 April 2018
246. "Reporter's notes: Palestinians burn tires as second 'Great March' protest heats up". The Jerusalem Post. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
247. Zeev Sternhell, 'At 70, Israel has shunned Herzl's dream for Netanyahu's bleak vision,' Haaretz 28 April 2018.
248. Balousha, Hazem; Holmes, Oliver (13 April 2018). "One Palestinian killed and hundreds injured in Gaza protests". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
249. Peter Beinart, 'American Jews Have Abandoned Gaza — And The Truth,' The Forward 26 April 2018:'The truth is too brutal to honestly defend. Why are thousands of Palestinians risking their lives by running toward the Israeli snipers who guard the fence that encloses Gaza? Because Gaza is becoming uninhabitable. That's not hyperbole. The United Nations says that Gaza will be "unlivable" by 2020, maybe sooner.'
250. "Calls for inquiry into Israel's Gaza killings". The Guardian UK. 15 May 2018.

• 2010s

• Current events from May 2018
• 2018 in Israel
• 2018 in the Gaza Strip
• 2018 protests
• March 2018 events in Asia
• April 2018 events in Asia
• May 2018 events in Asia
• Israel–Gaza Strip border
• Protests in the Gaza Strip
• Criminal rock-throwing