The Palestinian Health Ministry has reported that two Palestinian men were killed overnight by an Israeli airstrike, which took place east of Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip. While the report suggests that the strike targeted a group of men gathered near a cemetery, the IDF has yet to comment.
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#BREAKING:
— Bahaa.Shammala 🇵🇸 Gaza ✌ (@palbahaa) 29 июля 2018 г.
According to the Ministry Of Health.
2 #Palestinian dead bodies cut into parts arrived at the hospital due to an #Israeli air strike in the north of the #GazaStrip.
1- Mohannad Hammouda 24 years.
2- Nafez Al-Najjar 25 years.
Meanwhile, Avichay Adraee, IDF spokesman for the Arab press, denied Israeli involvement in the incident.
TWEET: "Many testimonies from Gaza raise fundamental doubts over the credibility of the Hamas Health Ministry's statement on the killing of terrorist operatives late last night in the northern Gaza Strip. What does Hamas intend to hide?"
شهادات كثيرة من قطاع #غزة تثير شكوك أساسية في مصداقية بيان #وزارة_الصحة التابعة لحماس حول مقتل الناشطيْن الارهابييْن منتصف الليلة الماضية شمال قطاع غزة. ماذا تنوي #حماس إخفائه؟ مرة تلو الأخرى يروجون لكم الأكاذيب وأنصاف الحقائق.
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) 29 июля 2018 г.
He further urged the ministry to "reveal what is the real cause of the explosion" instead of accusing Israel for "what happened in the cemetery in Jabaliya."
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Over the weekend, violence along the Israeli-Gaza border further escalated, with media reporting that an Israeli jet had targeted a group of Palestinians launching flammable balloons from the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Earlier today, a terrorist squad launched arson balloons from the northern Gaza Strip into Israel. In response, an IDF aircraft fired towards the squad
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) 27 июля 2018 г.
Gaza’s Health Ministry further reported that three Palestinians, including two teenagers, had been killed, while some 80 other Palestinians had been wounded following shots fired by IDF soldiers at protesters.
Local media suggested that a 17-year-old had died from a gunshot wound to the chest, a 12-year-old boy had succumbed to his wounds from a shooting and a 43-year-old man had died in hospital from a shot to the head
Yesterday’s killing of a 12 year old #Palestinian boy by #Israeli fire in #Gaza is shocking and tragic. Children are #NotATarget! Too many lives have been lost. Its time for this to stop. My hearfelt thought and prayers go out to the bereaved family.
— Nickolay E. MLADENOV (@nmladenov) 28 июля 2018 г.
The IDF has stated that some 7,000 Palestinians had taken part in the demonstrations in several locations along the Gaza border, setting tires on fire, hurling rocks and explosive devices, including Molotov cocktails, grenades and pipe bombs at Israeli soldiers.
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The IDF further tweeted that shots were fired at Israeli soldiers, but no casualties had been reported.
Earlier today, shots were fired at IDF soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip. No injuries were reported. In response, an IDF aircraft targeted an observation post in the northern Gaza Strip
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) 27 июля 2018 г.
Since March 30, Palestinians have been holding mass rallies, dubbed the Great Return March, insisting on the return of Palestinian refugees to the territories they claim were illegally seized by Israel after the 1948 war.
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In the wake of the US Embassy's official opening in Jerusalem on May 14, over 60 Palestinians have been killed and over 2,700 wounded in clashes. President Donald Trump’s decision to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv and recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017 was strongly condemned by most Muslim countries, as well as nations, supporting a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.