Reactions to Deadly Palestinian Protests at Gaza-Israel Border Continue

The number of fatalities from the Palestinian protests and demonstrations on Monday has reached 60. Palestinian officials state that a significant majority of the victims are unarmed civilians. The U.S. State Department has identified Hamas as inciting the violence. During the protests on Monday, at least 60 Palestinians were killed by Israeli army gunfire, and 2,700 were injured. The Israeli army claims to have sent eight trucks of medical and humanitarian aid to Gaza. The latest round of protests and violence coincided with the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. The Israeli army states that Palestinian demonstrators used incendiary bombs and explosives against security forces and opened fire on soldiers on the other side of the border fence. The Israeli Prime Minister has supported the army's actions, stating that security forces defended the country's borders. However, the Associated Press reports, citing Palestinian officials, that a significant majority of the victims were unarmed civilians. International news agencies report that Israel is under increasing international pressure, with calls for independent investigations into the events of Monday and recent protests rising. Germany and Belgium are among the countries that called for independent investigations yesterday. On Tuesday, during an emergency meeting of the Security Council, Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian representative to the UN, accused Israel of 'war crimes' and called for the country to be condemned. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, supported Israel's right to defend its borders and accused the UN of holding only Israel responsible for the events while ignoring the roles of Iran and Hamas. The Associated Press reported that the Israeli army has faced criticism from various countries regarding the use of military weapons that have taken the lives of dozens of Palestinians. The Associated Press and AFP state that the increase in casualties in recent days has fueled international protests. Monday was the deadliest day since the 2014 battles between Israel and militant groups in Gaza. The Israeli army claims that Hamas is responsible for the violence, as they opened fire and launched bombs at its military forces. According to the Israeli army, options for responding to events in open areas along the Gaza-Israel border, where soldiers are easily exposed to danger, are limited. The U.S. State Department also states that Hamas has incited violence under the pretext of the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. Heather Nauert, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, expressed regret over civilian deaths and emphasized that Israel has the right to defend itself. Ms. Nauert stated that Washington has been monitoring the protests of recent weeks. She added, 'If Hamas wants to use that issue (the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem) as an excuse to incite people and encourage violence, that is their chosen option; an option devoid of responsibility.' Turkey, a U.S. ally in the region, has called on Muslim countries to reconsider their relations with Israel. The Egyptian state news agency also reported that the foreign ministers of the Arab League are set to meet on May 16 to discuss the events. According to the Egyptian state news agency, this meeting is being held at the request of Saudi Arabia.