Palestinian killed in 40th week of Gaza’s Friday protests

A Palestinian man was killed by Israeli fire during protests near the Israeli border fence east of the Gaza Strip, the health ministry in the coastal enclave said.

Karam Fayyad, 26, was killed east of city of Khan Younis, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said.

Eight other Palestinians were wounded by Israeli fire during Friday’s protests, Qidra added. 

Around 5,000 Palestinians demonstrated for the 40th consecutive Friday along various parts of the border between Gaza and Israel, a spokeswoman for the Israeli army said.

In a statement, Gaza’s National Authority for Breaking the Siege urged Palestinians to take part in the ongoing rallies, staging Friday’s protest under the banner, “We will not forsake our right to live in dignity”.

Protesters are calling for Palestinian refugees to be allowed to return to their former homes now inside Israel. They also demand an end to Israel’s 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its roughly two million inhabitants of many basic commodities

At least 240 Palestinians have been killed since the demonstrations began.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period, one by a Palestinian sniper and another during an aborted special forces operation inside Gaza.

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies