Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 18:19, 12 April 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. (March 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

2018 Gaza border protests
Great March of Return Part of the Gaza–Israel conflict
Map of the Gaza Strip
Date	30 March 2018 – present
Location	Gaza Strip, near the Israeli border
Parties
Gaza Strip  Israel
Number
Tens of thousands
Casualties
Death(s)	27 Palestinians
Injuries	over 2,766 Palestinians (Gaza Ministry of Health statements)

On 30 March 2018, a six-week campaign composed of 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. It is supposed to last between March 30 (Land day) and May 15 (Nakba Day). Five tent camps were set up 500 to 700 meters from the border and were to remain there throughout the campaign. Israeli forces have killed 27 Palestinians since March 30, a number of whom have been members of various Palestinian militant organizations.

In the first event on March 30, thirty thousand Palestinians participated in the protest near the border. Most demonstrators remained at tent camps hundreds of meters from the border and demonstrated peacefully, but groups consisting mainly of young men approached the border, threw stones and Molotov cocktails, and rolled burning tires at Israeli troops.

The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health stated the number of injured on 30 March as 1,416, from live fire, rubber bullets or tear gas intoxication. Nineteen Palestinians were killed on 30 March or died due to wounds sustained that day.

According to the United Nations, 30 March was the day with the greatest number of casualties in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict since the 2014 armed conflict. On 6 April, the Ministry reported that 7 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.

A second wave of large protests began on Friday, 6 April 2018. Palestinians brought large numbers of tires to create smoke shields for the protests. According to witnesses, Palestinians used stones and Molotov cocktails, while the Israeli military used tear gas and live ammunition.

Israeli officials stated that the protests were used by Hamas as cover for launching attacks against Israel. According to Israel, eight members of Hamas' Qassam Brigades were among those killed; Hamas has identified five of the dead as Qassam Brigades members. Two men were killed on 30 March by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), about 150 meters from the fence; the IDF said they were armed with AK-47 rifles and hand grenades and were trying to breach the fence.

Israel's use of deadly force has been condemned by human rights organizations, and criticized by United Nations officials.

Israeli military and civilian leaders have praised Israeli troops for their actions, which they describe as necessary defensive measures. Kuwait has proposed two United Nations Security Council statements calling for an investigation into Israel's killing of Palestinian protesters which the United States has blocked.

Background

The principal demand of the protests is the right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants to villages and lands in present-day Israel. A majority of Gaza's population consists of refugees from the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and their descendants. Israel has rejected any right of return.

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."

Protest organization

In 2011, Ahmed Abu Ratima, a Gazan whose family originally came from Ramla, conceived the idea of mustering people to go peacefully to the separation barrier and call out for their right to return to the homes from which they had been driven, or had fled, in the past. This idea did not take root until 2018, when an event called the Great March of Return was prepared, which would consist of a 6 week period of regular pacific sit-ins, the start coinciding with the annual Land Day commemoration that began on 30 March and continues until 15 May, which mark two events in 1948 on the respective dates: the anniversary of Israel‘s declaration of independence, and Nakba Day, the day of commemoration of the mass Palestinian exodus during the Palestine war.

By March, Hamas, 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 "March of Return". While multiple factions have endorsed the protests, they have all participated under the shared symbol of the Palestinian national flag.

Prior violence

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.

In the week prior to March 30, 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. On 25 March, the IDF fired some ten Iron Dome missiles to intercept what the IDF said was high-trajectory machine-gun fire from Gaza towards Zikim.

Timeline

30 March – Land day protests

The events of the day were some of the most violent in recent years.

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. To preempt incidents along the border, Israel nearly doubled their forces stationed along there, deploying special units, drones, and 100 snipers with permission to open fire.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Arabic spokesman and Defense Minister's Arabic Twitter account threatened Palestinians who approached the border with serious or life-threatening injury. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that before the main series of clashes, Israeli artillery fire killed a Palestinian farmer working near the border zone.

Five tent camps were set up 500 to 700 meters from the Israel–Gaza barrier, near the 300m no-go zone imposed by Israel:

• "An-Nahda area in the east of Rafah
• "Al-Najar area east of Khuza'a in Khan Younis
• "Al Bureij camp in the Middle Area
• "Malaka area east of Gaza City
• "Abu Safiya in Jabalia and at the checkpoint in Beit Hanoun, North Gaza."

According to the Israeli military, up to 30,000 people were bused in by the Gazan government to the site of the protest; entire families—‌men, women and children—‌participated in the marches. 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 Palestinians.

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-6 April, demonstrators have gathered tires in Gaza to be burnt on April 6th, in preparation for what was dubbed the “Day of the Tire”. Israeli officials have cautioned of that the mass burning of tires along the border can produce environmental harm.

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

Casualties

A total of 30 Palestinians have been reported dead as of 11 April 2018.

30 March

Nineteen or twenty Palestinians were killed on 30 March or due to wounds sustained that day; many of them were reported by IDF to have been members of Hamas.

Over 1,400 suffered injuries according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, with 758 (773) reportedly wounded from live fire, 148 from rubber-tipped bullets, 422 from inhaling tear gas and 88 from other causes. Medical camps set up within the protests were able to treat 405 of the injured, and transferred 1,010 to hospitals for further care. The Palestinian Red Crescent has also estimated that around 800 people were injured by live fire, while the Israeli military says only a few dozen or so were.

A spokesman from Al-Shifa Hospital stated that of 284 injured people admitted for treatment, most were suffering from live bullet wounds, and 70 were under 18 years of age, while 11 were women.

Killed prior to protests

• Omar Samour (31), a farmer killed around dawn on his own land near Khan Younis, apparently by artillery fire

Killed during the protests

• Mohammed Naeem Abu Amr (Mohammed Abu Omar, 22, Rafah), a noted sand artist, a member of Hamas's military wing; and according to the IDF, a Hamas military operative involved in tunneling.
• Ahmed Ibrahim Ashour Odeh (19), a member of Hamas's military wing
• Jihad Ahmed Fraina (33), a member of Hamas's military wing; according to the IDF, the Sheikh Radwan company commander.
• Mahmoud Saadi Rahmi (33), according to the IDF from Shuja'iyya, and a Hamas operative.
• Abdul Fattah Abdul Nabi (19, from Beit Lahia) reportedly shot in the back while running away from the border carrying a tire. Israel reported that a "Abd al-Fattah Bahjat Abd al-Nabi" was among the Hamas militants it killed. Abdul Fattah's family reported that he was not a member of Hamas' military wing, and works in a felafel shop; his funeral did not involve the honors usually given to slain Palestinian fighters.
• Ibrahim Salah Abu Shaar (20), according to the IDF a global Jihad activist.
• Sari Walid Abu Odeh, a member of Hamas's military wing; according to the IDF a Hamas operative from Beit Hanoun.
• Hamdan Isma'il Abu Amsha, according to the IDF from Beit Hanoun, aged 28, and a member of Hamas's military wing.

• Jihad Zuhair Abu Jamous: according to the IDF a member of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.
• Naji Abu Hijir
• Mohammad Kamel Najjar: shot in the stomach near Jabaliya
• Wahid Nasrallah Abu Samour
• Amin Mahmoud Abu Muammar (38, from Rafah):
• Abd al-Qader Marhi al-Hawajri
• Bader Fayek al-Sabbagh (20): Shot in head, reportedly (according to his brother, who was present) while smoking a cigarette with his brother behind a group throwing rocks.

Died later of fatal wounds suffered on 30 March

• Faris al-Raqid (29), a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, fatally wounded by a shot to the stomach, and who succumbed to his wounds three days later. Islamic Jihad said he was unarmed during the protest.
• Shadi al-Kashif (34), was shot in the head. After six days in critical condition, he died on 5 April.
• Thaer Muhammad Rabaa (30, of Jabalia refugee camp) was injured by gunfire; he died on 6 April.

Killed and recovered by Israel

Two reportedly armed men were shot:

• Muhammed Mhareb al-Arabiyeh
• Musab Zuheir Anis al-Saloul (who according to Hamas's website was a member of their military wing)

According to Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, their bodies were left lying on the ground in a buffer zone established by Israel, at the Jahr Al-Dik area inside Wadi Gaza, at a distance of 150 metres from the border, and could not be checked and evacuated due to their proximity to a no-go zone where Israel declared that anyone detected would be at risk of being shot. Israeli forces recovered the bodies and said the two were gunmen armed with AK-47 assault rifles and hand grenades who had attempted to breach the fence. An International Crisis Group spokesman described "two armed Hamas gunmen, separate from the protesting crowds, tried to approach the fence and were killed by Israeli forces."

Israel announced on April 1 that it will hold the men's bodies rather than returning them. Israel is currently seeking the return of Avera Mangistu, Hisham al-Sayed, and Jumaa Abu Ghanima, mentally ill men who wandered into Gaza and who are currently held by Hamas, as well as the bodies of Hadar Goldin and Oren Shaul, soldiers believed to have been killed in the 2014 Gaza conflict. Israel already held the bodies of 24 Palestinians killed in prior incidents.

Descriptions of casualties

According to an IDF tweet on the following day, later deleted:

"Nothing was carried out uncontrolled; everything was accurate and measured, and we know where every bullet landed."

According to the IDF, at least eight members of Hamas were among the dead, as well as one from the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and one from a Salafist group. According to Hamas, five members of its military wing were among the dead; the organization described them as taking part "in popular events side-by-side with their people."

Human Rights Watch 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." Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center found that 80% of those killed belonged to Palestinian militant organisations.

Week of 31 March to 5 April

• Ahmed Arafa (25), was killed by Israeli gunfire after breaking through the border fence on 3 April. Arafa was a member of the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. He was reportedly among a group of five individuals present at the fence in a surveillance video, one of whom broke open the fence with a pipe and two of whom crossed through the resulting hole.
• A Palestinian man was killed by an Israeli airstrike on 5 April after approaching the border fence. The IDF stated that he was armed with an assault rifle and released video footage showing the man walking. The man killed in the airstrike before dawn Thursday had approached the border fence with an assault rifle, the Israeli military said. It released a grainy video showing the armed man walking in the dark.</ref>

6 April

For the 6 April protests, 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 was shot according to Palestinians in the stomach by an Israeli sniper despite wearing a jacket emblazoned with 'PRESS' to identify him as a journalist. According to the Palestinian journalist 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."

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.

After 6 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.

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. 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. Most stones fall far short of the border fence.

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 300m mark to protect those further away from Israeli fire.

The Israeli military accused Hamas of using the protests as a guise to launch attacks against Israel, and warned about further reprisals. Israel alleged that Hamas is forcing bus companies to transport people to the border for the 6 April protests. Hamas has been offering payments to families of Palestinians who are wounded or killed during these events. A Hamas spokesperson promised $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 April 6th protest, that "We 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. Israeli tear gas canisters have penetrated more than 300m into the Gaza Strip.

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

Reactions

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared a day of mourning on 31 March.

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 —‌ leaders with mutual disdain for each other —‌ exchanged heated remarks over the border clashes; Erdogan labeled the Israeli response an "inhumane attack" amid growing international criticism of the Israeli military.

The United Nations Secretary General and the European Union have called for an independent inquiry into the violence. Called on by Kuwaiti ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, the United Nations Security Council initiated an emergency meeting following the violence on March 30. A Security Council statement for an independent inquiry surrounding the events was blocked by the United States, and rejected by Israel's Defense Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, who stated that the soldiers' actions were necessary to secure the border. 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". 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. 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.

On 6 April, The Prime Minister's Arabic-language spokesman Ofir Gendelman tweeted in response to a video showing a flag with a swastika lying between two Palestinian flags, "Hamas terrorists have planted today right on the Gaza-Israel border this Nazi flag which was flying b/w 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."

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."

Solidarity protests

Protests expressing solidarity with Palestinians protesters in the Gaza Strip and condemning the use of lethal force by Israeli forces on protesters appeared across Israel, USA, UK and Australia, with hundreds to thousands people turning up in Tel Aviv, Washington D.C., Boston, London, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol and Melbourne.

See also

• List of violent incidents in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, 2018

References

1. "20 Palestinians Killed in Gaza Since Friday". 5 April 2018.
2. Fares Akram and Karin Laub, AP (2 April 2018). "Gaza toll rises to 18, Israel rejects excessive force claims". Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via washingtonpost.com.
3. ^ "Israeli army kills 17 Palestinians in Gaza protests". aljazeera.com. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
4. 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.
5. ^ 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.
6. "At least 14 Palestinians killed in Land Day protests". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
7. ^ Khoury, Jack; Kubovich, Yaniv; Zikri, Almog Ben (30 March 2018). "12 Palestinians Killed, Dozens Wounded, as Thousands Gather on Gaza-Israel Border for "March of Return"". Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via Haaretz.
8. "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.
9. Williams, Jennifer (2 April 2018). "The recent violence at the Gaza-Israel border, explained". Vox. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
10. Wainer, David; Arnold, Michael; Ramadan, Saud Abu (9 April 2018). "Palestinians Clash With Israeli Troops for Second Week in Gaza". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
11. Gross, Judah Ari; Frydberg, Tracy; AFP; Agencies; Gebeily, Maya; Khera, Jastinder; Schwartz, Yaakov; Murphy, Peter; Toameh, Khaled Abu (1 April 2018). "Hamas: 11 Palestinians injured by IDF in fresh Gaza protests". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
12. ^ Jack Khoury, Gaza Footage Shows Protester Shot in the Back While Running Away From Israeli Border Wall, Haaretz, 31 March 2018.
13. ^ Yoav Zitun, Elior Levy, and Matan TzuriReport: Israel holds body of Gaza terrorist killed Friday, YNETnews.com, 1 April 2018.
14. ^ Family of slain soldier held by Hamas urges Israel to keep bodies of Gaza gunmen, Times of Israel, 1 April 2018.
15. ^ "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.
16. "IDF uses tear gas, live fire as thousands protest at Gaza border". Times of Israel. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
17. ^ "IDF warns of larger military response to Gaza protest". Jerusalem Post. 31 March 2018.
18. CNN, Ian Lee, Abeer Salman and Amir Tal,. "17 Palestinians killed in confrontations with Israeli forces". cnn.com. Retrieved 6 April 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
19. ^ "'Imagine the march of return along Israel's main highway'". Israel National News. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
20. ^ Morris, Loveday; Balousha, Hazem; Eglash, Ruth (6 April 2018). "Burning tires, tear gas and live fire: Gaza clashes turn deadly". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
21. ^ 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.
22. "US blocks UN statement demanding probe into Gaza bloodshed". Shiite News. Shiitenews.com. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
23. "US blocks UNSC statement on Israel's use of force on Land Day". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
24. "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.
25. "What Is Palestinian 'Land Day' and Why Is Israel Worried?". Haaretz. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
26. Kimmerling, Baruch; Migdal, Joel S. (1993). Palestinians: The Making of a People. Free Press. p. 178. ISBN 978-0-02-917321-3.
27. ^ "Israeli army kills 17 Palestinians in Gaza protests", Al Jazeera, 30 March 2018.
28. GREG MYRE (29 December 2005). "Israel calls northern Gaza area no-go zone". Retrieved 9 April 2018.
29. ^ "Israel: Gaza Killings Unlawful, Calculated". Human Rights Watch. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
30. "Exposing explosive devices? Israel 'destroys Palestinian crops'along security fence". Russia Today. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
31. Rawnak Natour, Ron Gerlitz, 'Land Day Is an Ongoing Injustice', Haaretz, 27 March 2018.
32. "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. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
33. Sarah Helm, "The Gaza 'Return March' has begun – the refugees won’t stop until their voices are heard", The Independent, 31 March 2018.
34. 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. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
35. David M. Halbfinger,4 Israelis Hurt by Bomb Set in Flag at Gaza Fence, Igniting Night of Fighting, New York Times, 17 February 2018.
36. High alert on Gaza border after string of incursions, Jerusalem Post, March 28, 2018.
37. IDF tanks shell Hamas positions after 2 Gazans start fire near border, Times of Israel, 28 March 2018.
38. Ori Lewis, Israeli interceptors deployed against machine gun fire, not rockets: army, reuters.com, 25 March 2018.
39. Yoav Zitun,Iron Dome system triggered due to 'system oversensitivity', ynetnews.com, 26 March 2018.
40. "Palestinians say over a dozen killed in Gaza border protest". The Guardian. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
41. "Palestinian Land Day: Israel deploys 100 snipers to Gaza border ahead of expected protests". The Independent. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
42. "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."
43. ^ "WHO Special Situation Report - Gaza, occupied Palestine territory (March 2018)". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
44. "Gaza: Refugees call for right of return in mass protests". www.aljazeera.com.
45. ^ Thrall, Nathan (2 April 2018). "Gaza Protests Mark Shift in Palestinian National Consciousness". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
46. "16 Gazans said killed, 1,100 hurt in clashes at massive border protest". timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
47. "Israeli troops wound dozens on Gaza border as Palestinians bury dead from earlier violence". Reuters. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
48. ^ 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.
49. 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.
50. 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.
51. ^ al-Mughrabi, Nidal (6 April 2018). "Israeli troops kill seven Palestinians on day of heightened Gaza..." Reuters. Retrieved 7 April 2018. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
52. Reuters News. (11 April 2018). "Palestinians shot by Israeli sniper on video says wasn't instigating violence." Jerusalem Post website Retrieved 11 April 2018.
53. ^ "Palestinian protester who was shot during Friday border clashes dies". Times of Israel. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018. Shadi al-Kashif, 34, was shot in the head near the border in southern Gaza and had since been in critical condition, the ministry said. His death brings the toll from Friday's clashes to 20, according to the ministry's figures. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
54. Balousha, Hazem; Holmes, Oliver (31 March 2018). "Palestinians hold day of mourning after 773 'shot with live ammunition'". the Guardian. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
55. ^ "Israeli forces shoot dead 16 Palestinians in one day during protests in Gaza", Ma'an News Agency, 31 March 2018.
56. "Israeli forces kill 13 in Gaza as Palestinians demonstrate on Land Day". middleeasteye.net. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
57. "UN chief calls for independent investigation into Gaza deaths". UN chief calls for independent investigation into Gaza deaths (in Turkish). Retrieved 3 April 2018.
58. "Was a Gazan protester a Hamas militant... and a sand sculptor?". JPost.com. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
59. Morris, Loveday; Balousha, Hazem (31 March 2018). "'He had no gun, no molotov': Gaza families call for investigation into Israeli use of fatal force". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
60. ^ "Israeli forces kill 16 Palestinians in one day during protests in Gaza". 31 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
61. ^ Balousha, Hazem; Holmes, Oliver (31 March 2018). "The Gaza Strip mourns its dead after protest is met with bullets". the Guardian. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
62. ^ "Hamas says Gaza toll rises to 18 as another Palestinian dies of wounds". The Times of Israel. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
63. "Palestinian injured during Great March of Return dies of wounds in Gaza". وكالة الأنباء والمعلومات الفلسطينية - وفا. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
64. القسام, كتائب الشهيد عز الدين. "مصعب زهير السلول". كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
65. Adalah: 2 injured Palestinians stuck along Gaza border, medics unable to reach them, Ma'an News Agency, 31 March 2018.
66. "Israel hints it's ready for hostage swap with Hamas". JPost.com. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
67. "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.
68. "Hamas says 5 killed in Gaza border clashes were its members". Ynetnews. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
69. "Hamas admits 5 of its gunmen among 16 Gazans killed in Friday's border violence". The Times of Israel. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
70. Balousha, Hazem; Holmes, Oliver (31 March 2018). "The Gaza Strip mourns its dead after protest is met with bullets". the Guardian. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
71. "Israel response to Gaza protests 'illegal': Israeli NGO". Anadolu Agency. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
72. "Report: 80% of Palestinians killed in Gaza border crisis were terrorists". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
73. "IDF shoots, kills Palestinian who broke through Gaza fence". Times of Israel. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
74. Ilan Ben Zion, Israeli airstrike on Gaza border kills Palestinian, The Washington Post, 5 April 2018.
75. "Palestinian protester who was shot during Friday border clashes dies". Times of Israel. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018. Earlier, the ministry confirmed a Palestinian was killed by an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza border. Health officials in Gaza's Shifa hospital were working to identify him. The Israeli army said the man was armed and approaching the border when he was targeted.
76. ^ "Palestinian journalist dies after being shot by Israeli forces". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
77. "Israeli Defense Chief: Anyone Who Flies Drones Over IDF Soldiers Puts Himself at Risk". Haaretz. 8 April 2018.
78. REPORT: PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST KILLED IN GAZA WAS A HAMAS ACTIVIST, JPost, 10 April 2018
79. "Israel says slain Gaza journalist was Hamas militant". The Washington Post. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
80. "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)
81. "CPJ calls on Israel to hold killers of Yaser Murtaja to account". cpj.org. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
82. TWO EXPLOSIVE DEVICES BROUGHT TO GAZA FENCE, IDF SAYS, JPost, 8 April 2018
83. Israel Strikes Hamas Target in Gaza in Response to Border Infiltration Attempt, Haaretz, Jack Khoury and Amos Harel, 9 April 2018
84. Palestinians set off bomb against IDF vehicle in Gaza; army retaliates, Times of Israel, 11 April 2018
85. 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.
86. Turki, Fawaz (4 April 2018). "Gaza protests: Keeping the faith within a stone's throw". GulfNews. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
87. ADAM RASGON (5 April 2018). "AHEAD OF FRESH STANDOFF, HAMAS REVEALS PAYOUTS TO INJURED PROTESTER". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
88. "Hamas pays families of Gazans killed in border clashes with Israel". timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
89. TOI Staff (5 April 2018). "US slams Gaza leaders who send children to border, 'knowing they may be killed'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
90. "Egypt, Jordan condemn Israel's use of force". The Jerusalem Post. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
91. "Gaza-Israel violence: Netanyahu and Erdogan in war of words". BBC. 1 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
92. Associated Press (31 March 2018). "Gaza deaths: UN secretary general calls for 'transparent' investigation". the Guardian. Retrieved 7 April 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
93. "EU urges probe into Israel's use of live fire in Gaza border clashes". Times of Israel. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
94. "UN Security Council holds emergency meeting on Gaza clashes". Washington Post. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
95. ^ Clarke, Hilary (1 April 2018). "Diplomats: US blocks UN statement for independent inquiry into Gaza violence". Retrieved 6 April 2018.
96. "No Gaza Inquiry, Israeli Defense Minister Says". The Jerusalem Post. 1 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
97. "OHCHR | Press briefing note on Gaza and Guatemala". www.ohchr.org. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
98. "EU expresses concern over Israeli use of live fire for crowd control". Times of Israel. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
99. "NINE KILLED DURING FRIDAY 'MARCH OF RETURN'". The Jerusalem Post. 8 April 2018.
100. Bowcott, Owen (8 April 2018). "Chief ICC lawyer calls for end to violence along Gaza border". the Guardian. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
101. "Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, regarding the worsening situation in Gaza". Retrieved 10 April 2018.
102. Shezaf, Hagar (1 April 2018). "Hundreds March in Tel Aviv in Solidarity With Gaza Following Deadly Protests" – via Haaretz.
103. "Protesters chained themselves to door at Israeli consulate in Boston - The Boston Globe".
104. "PressTV-1000s join anti-Israel rallies in UK, elsewhere".
105. teleSUR/vc-LJS. "US, UK Rally Against Israel As More Palestinians Killed in Gaza".

• 2010s

• Current events from March 2018
• 2018 in Israel
• 2018 in the Gaza Strip
• 2018 protests
• Israel–Gaza Strip border
• March 2018 events in Asia
• Ongoing protests
• Protests in the Gaza Strip