Two Palestinians, including a journalist, have martyred after being shot by Israeli occupation troops during border clashes, the health ministry in Gaza said Saturday, bringing the total killed in the latest Israeli violence to nine.
Thousands of protesters approached the border fence around the Gaza Strip for a second Friday in a row, burning tyres and hurling stones at Israeli occupation forces, who responded with tear gas and live ammunition.
In addition to the nine dead, at least 491 were wounded by Israeli gunfire, the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza strip said.
Zionist forces targeted demonstrations that killed 19 Palestinians, making it the bloodiest day in Gaza since the 2014 war.
No Israelis were injured on either day and the latest deaths have sparked fresh calls for an investigation.
Among those killed at Friday’s protest was Yasser Murtaja, a photographer with the Gaza-based Ain Media agency, who died from his wounds after being shot, the local health ministry said Saturday.
Murtaja’s company confirmed his death, with witnesses saying he was close to the front of the protests in Southern Gaza when he was hit.
An AFP photograph taken after he was wounded showed Murtaja wearing a press vest as he received treatment.
The Israeli occupation declined to comment, saying it was reviewing the incident.
The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate said five other journalists were also shot during the protests, insisting they were wearing clothes clearly identifying them as members of the press.
Source: AFP
