Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza gathered again on Saturday, April 10, on the first anniversary of their weekly protests near the border fence with Israel, resulting in clashes that left at least two dead. The Associated Press reported that two 17-year-old Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli forces' gunfire, bringing the total number of fatalities in the last 24 hours in the border area to three, including another 21-year-old Palestinian who was killed early Saturday before the protests began. According to Gaza's health ministry officials, the number of injured has reached 64. The Israeli army reported that around 40,000 Palestinians gathered at several points near the border fence on Saturday. The protests coincided with the first anniversary of the weekly demonstrations known as the 'March of Return' and also with 'Land Day.' In recent days, Israel had repeatedly warned Palestinians about approaching the security fences in the border area. Avichai Adraee, the Israeli army spokesperson who tweets in Arabic, had issued warnings to 'Gaza residents' in the past few days. On Saturday, this military official posted a video stating that despite previous warnings, 'hundreds of rioters approached several points of the security fence and attempted to throw homemade grenades and damage the border fence.' Concurrently with the gatherings near the border fence, the Hamas group, which controls the Gaza Strip, announced on Saturday that it had reached an agreement with Israel through Egyptian mediation. According to Agence France-Presse, the ceasefire agreement between the two sides includes a reduction of the economic blockade on Gaza by Israel in exchange for calm in the border area. However, despite Hamas's announcement, the organizers of the weekly protests have called for another demonstration near the border fence next Friday. An Egyptian delegation had also traveled to Gaza last month to mediate between Hamas and Israel but returned to Egypt with the onset of hostilities between the two sides. Nevertheless, it has been reported that the Egyptian delegation returned to Gaza a few days ago and went to the border area on Saturday to monitor the situation. Recent developments at the Israel-Gaza border occur under special circumstances for both sides: Israel has general elections in about ten days, and Hamas has been suppressing the 'We Want to Live' protests in Gaza.
At least 2 killed on the anniversary of weekly protests at the Gaza-Israel border
On the first anniversary of weekly protests at the Gaza-Israel border, clashes resulted in at least two Palestinian deaths and numerous injuries. The protests coincide with significant political tensions as Israel approaches elections and Hamas faces internal dissent. The situation remains volatile with ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
On the anniversary of the 'March of Return' protests, clashes at the Gaza-Israel border resulted in the deaths of at least two Palestinian teenagers and numerous injuries. Despite a ceasefire agreement facilitated by Egypt, tensions remain high with further protests planned.
- Two 17-year-old Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire.
- A ceasefire agreement was announced by Hamas, mediated by Egypt.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The 'March of Return' protests began in 2018, demanding the right for Palestinian refugees to return to their ancestral lands. The area has been a longstanding conflict zone.
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