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Monday was single deadliest day in Gaza since 2014 war
The Associated Press · Posted: May 15, 2018 3:28 AM ET | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago
Thousands joined funeral processions Tuesday for some of the dozens of Palestinians killed by Israeli troops in a mass march on the Gaza border, as Israelis faced growing diplomatic fallout from the use of lethal force against unarmed protesters.
Monday marked the deadliest day in Gaza since a 2014 war there, and was part of a high-stakes campaign by Gaza's Hamas rulers to break a decade-long border blockade.
Israeli forces killed 59 Palestinians, most by gunfire, and injured more than 2,700 on Monday, Gaza Health Ministry said. The ministry said some 1,360 were hit by gunshots, and that of the injured, 130 were in serious or critical condition.
The high casualty toll also revived international criticism of Israel's use of lethal force against unarmed protesters. Rights groups have said Israel's open-fire orders are unlawful under international humanitarian law.
Israel's military says it is defending its border and has accused Hamas of using protests as a cover for attacks on the border. The military has said rubber-coated steel pellets, at times used for non-lethal crowd control, are not effective in preventing Gaza demonstrators from approaching or breaching the border fence.
"We regret every casualty but they are being used by Hamas," said Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations.
Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reiterated calls for an independent investigation into Israel's use of lethal force in border demonstrations in recent weeks. He said lethal force should only be used as a last resort.
Colville told a UN briefing Tuesday in Geneva: "It seems anyone is liable to be shot dead or injured: women, children, press personnel, first responders, bystanders...."
The UN Security Council was meeting Tuesday to discuss the violence, beginning with a moment of silence for the dead.
It was not immediately clear what might come out of the council session, which was called by Kuwait. Israel isn't a council member, nor are the Palestinians.
Meanwhile, the diplomatic fallout continued.
Monday's protest also targeted the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, viewed by Palestinians and many in the Arab world as a major affront.
Belgium's PM singles out U.S. embassy decision
The opening of the embassy, condemned by Palestinians as blatantly pro-Israel, further dimmed prospects of what President Donald Trump had once touted as plans to negotiate the Mideast "deal of the century."
The juxtaposition of violence on the Gaza border and festivities attended by a high-powered Trump administration delegation just several miles away and captured on split screens in TV broadcasts around the world, briefly drew attention to the plight of Gaza and its two million people.
Belgium Prime Minister Charles Michel linked the violence on the border with the Trump administration's decision to relocate the embassy. Michel said discussion of the violence and killings would be moved onto the calendar of the European Union summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Wednesday and Thursday.
Ireland's Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador to express "shock and dismay" over the high casualty toll, and said it would seek an independent international investigation. Turkey lowered flags to half-mast to mark three days of mourning for the Palestinians killed in Gaza, with Turkey's official news agency reporting that the country had asked Israel's ambassador to temporarily leave Turkey.
On Monday, South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel until further notice.
The Associated Press · Posted: May 15, 2018 3:28 AM ET | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago
Thousands joined funeral processions Tuesday for some of the dozens of Palestinians killed by Israeli troops in a mass march on the Gaza border, as Israelis faced growing diplomatic fallout from the use of lethal force against unarmed protesters.
Monday marked the deadliest day in Gaza since a 2014 war there, and was part of a high-stakes campaign by Gaza's Hamas rulers to break a decade-long border blockade.
Israeli forces killed 59 Palestinians, most by gunfire, and injured more than 2,700 on Monday, Gaza Health Ministry said. The ministry said some 1,360 were hit by gunshots, and that of the injured, 130 were in serious or critical condition.
The high casualty toll also revived international criticism of Israel's use of lethal force against unarmed protesters. Rights groups have said Israel's open-fire orders are unlawful under international humanitarian law.
Israel's military says it is defending its border and has accused Hamas of using protests as a cover for attacks on the border. The military has said rubber-coated steel pellets, at times used for non-lethal crowd control, are not effective in preventing Gaza demonstrators from approaching or breaching the border fence.
"We regret every casualty but they are being used by Hamas," said Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations.
Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reiterated calls for an independent investigation into Israel's use of lethal force in border demonstrations in recent weeks. He said lethal force should only be used as a last resort.
Colville told a UN briefing Tuesday in Geneva: "It seems anyone is liable to be shot dead or injured: women, children, press personnel, first responders, bystanders...."
The UN Security Council was meeting Tuesday to discuss the violence, beginning with a moment of silence for the dead.
It was not immediately clear what might come out of the council session, which was called by Kuwait. Israel isn't a council member, nor are the Palestinians.
Meanwhile, the diplomatic fallout continued.
Monday's protest also targeted the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, viewed by Palestinians and many in the Arab world as a major affront.
Belgium's PM singles out U.S. embassy decision
The opening of the embassy, condemned by Palestinians as blatantly pro-Israel, further dimmed prospects of what President Donald Trump had once touted as plans to negotiate the Mideast "deal of the century."
The juxtaposition of violence on the Gaza border and festivities attended by a high-powered Trump administration delegation just several miles away and captured on split screens in TV broadcasts around the world, briefly drew attention to the plight of Gaza and its two million people.
Belgium Prime Minister Charles Michel linked the violence on the border with the Trump administration's decision to relocate the embassy. Michel said discussion of the violence and killings would be moved onto the calendar of the European Union summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Wednesday and Thursday.
Ireland's Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador to express "shock and dismay" over the high casualty toll, and said it would seek an independent international investigation. Turkey lowered flags to half-mast to mark three days of mourning for the Palestinians killed in Gaza, with Turkey's official news agency reporting that the country had asked Israel's ambassador to temporarily leave Turkey.
On Monday, South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel until further notice.
