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Israeli Troops Fire on Gaza Protesters, Killing 18 and Wounding 1,700

HeadlineApr 02, 2018

In the Gaza Strip, at least 18 Palestinians were killed and as many as 1,700 were wounded Friday, after Israeli forces opened fire with live bullets on a protest near Gaza’s eastern border with Israel. Video posted online shows unarmed Palestinians being shot in the back as they fled from tear gas and gunfire. The deaths and injuries came as 30,000 Gaza residents gathered near the wall, as part of a planned 6-week-long nonviolent protest against the blockade of Gaza and to demand the right of return for Palestinian refugees. This is Gaza resident Abed al-Qader Al Haddad.

Abed al-Qader Al Haddad: “They are hoping—they say that the old will die and the young will forget; however, no, the young are children sitting here, saying that they want to go back to their families’ lands, the lands of their fathers and grandfathers. They want to go back. The young have more ambition, more than their fathers and grandfathers.”

Another 49 Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces during protests on Saturday. Israel’s actions have been condemned around the world, but Israel is rejecting calls to investigate the killings. Meanwhile, at the United Nations, the U.S. blocked a move by the U.N. Security Council that called for an investigation. After headlines, we’ll go to Gaza for the latest on Israel’s bloody crackdown on protests.

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