JERUSALEM - Thousands of worshippers have turned out to bury a well-known Gaza filmmaker who was shot on Friday while covering protests on the Israel-Gaza border.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 10 people were killed during clashes between protestors and the Israeli army and more than 1300 injured, 491 of whom were shot with live bullets.

Early on Saturday morning, two Palestinians died from injuries sustained in Friday's protest on the Israel-Gaza border fence

One of them, a 31-year-old popular Gaza filmmaker, Yasser Murtaja, was shot in the lower abdomen by Israeli forces despite wearing a blue-and-white vest with the word “PRESS” emblazoned on the front.

He was one of six Palestinian journalists wounded by the Israeli army yesterday, according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate.

While the others have been released from hospital with minor injuries, there is one more journalist who will be operated on later on Saturday but he is not in a life-threatening situation.

The Israeli army insists it carefully targets those it shoots and has not yet provided comment as to how six journalists were injured.

The army says it thwarted multiple efforts by protestors to breach the border fence and says its troops were fired at with molotov cocktails and explosive devices.

Tensions continue to climb between the sides as each blames the other for the continuing violence as Palestinians mark six weeks of protests and demonstrations against the Israeli occupation. </s> A Palestinian journalist was shot and killed by Israeli forces while covering protests along the Israeli border in Gaza late Friday.

Photos show Yasser Murtaja, 31, wearing a "press" vest as he was evacuated during the clashes after being shot. He died of his injuries shortly afterwards.

The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate report that six journalists, all of whom they say were easily identifiable as press, were shot by Israeli forces firing over the border on Friday, including Murtaja.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces told BuzzFeed News that they were investigating Murtaja's death, but said that journalists were not intentionally targeted. The spokesperson said IDF troops were working to protect the security fence with Israel from Hamas, which they blamed for inciting "tens of thousands" of people to approach and attack the fence, throwing explosives and rocks at soldiers.

"IDF troops are operating in accordance with clear rules of engagement that are tailored to this scenario. The IDF uses means such as warnings, riot dispersal means, and as a last resort firing live rounds in a precise, measured way,” said the spokesperson.

“The IDF does not intentionally target journalists. The circumstances in which journalists were allegedly hit by IDF fire are not familiar to the IDF, and are being looked into," the spokesperson said.

Witnesses told the Associated Press reported Murtaja was shot below the armpit while holding his camera as protesters set fire to tires, resulting in thick black smoke. </s> GAZA - A Palestinian journalist, shot by Israeli forces while covering a protest along the Gaza-Israel border nearly two weeks ago, died of his wounds on Wednesday, the Hamas-run health ministry said.



Ahmed Abu Hussein, 24, worked for Gaza's Al-Shaab radio station and wore a protective vest marked "Press" at the protest on April 13, witnesses said. Photos of Abu Hussein lying wounded in his vest appeared on social media.

He was the second journalist killed by Israeli gunfire since the weekly Friday protests, for a right of return of Palestinians refugees and their descendants to homes in what is now Israel, began on March 30.Funeral held for Palestinian journalist killed in Israel-Gaza protests, April 7, 2018 (Reuters)The health officials said a bullet penetrated Abu Hussein's side. He was moved from Gaza to a hospital in the West Bank and then transferred to a hospital in Israel, where he died.His death raised to 38 the number of Palestinians killed in the protests near the border.An Israeli military spokeswoman had no immediate comment on Abu Hussein's death. Yaser Murtaja, 30, a cameraman for Palestinian Ain Media , was shot on April 6 and died the next day. After his death, the Israeli military said it does not intentionally target journalists and that it would look into the circumstances of the shooting.The Palestinian journalists' union accused Israel of "deliberately" targeting Abu Hussein and Murtaja, vowing to seek to bring "leaders of the occupation" to justice.Abu Hussein will be buried in Gaza on Thursday.Israel’s live-fire response to the protests has drawn international criticism.Israel says it has been warning Gazans not to approach the border fence and that it is doing what is necessary to stop the barrier from being damaged or breached.The Palestinians said Israel, which has deployed army sharpshooters along the frontier, used "excessive force against unarmed protesters". Some protesters have hurled stones and rolled burning tyres towards the fence.Gaza is run by the Hamas Islamist movement, designated by Israel and the West as a terrorist group.

var cont = `Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>>



`; document.getElementById("linkPremium").innerHTML = cont; (function (v, i){ }); </s> Israeli troops shoot dead 10 Palestinian protesters, including one journalist, and wound at least 200 along the Israel-Gaza border, Palestinian medical officials say, raising the death toll to 32 in the week-long disturbances.

Israeli troops have shot dead nine Palestinian protesters and wounded at least 200 along the Israel-Gaza border, Palestinian medical officials say, raising the death toll to 31 in the week-long disturbances.

They said the demonstrators, including two teenage boys aged 16 and 17, were killed at protest sites along the frontier during a round of daily demonstrations that began on March 30 and are known as "The Great March of Return".

Gaza health officials said a well-known Palestinian journalist also died from a gunshot wound sustained while covering the demonstrations.

They said Yasser Murtaja was among two people to die overnight after being shot on Friday. Their deaths raised Friday's death toll to nine.

Murtaja was shot in the southern town of Khuzaa, which was engulfed in thick black smoke caused by burning tires set alight by demonstrators.

He was over 100 metres from the border, wearing a flak jacket marked "press" and holding his camera when he was shot.

The Israeli military has said it fired only at "instigators" involved in violence. It had no immediate comment.

The day of violence, which saw bigger Palestinian crowds than in recent days but not as large as when the demonstration began last Friday, calmed down as night descended.

The protesters, including Palestinian refugees and their descendants seeking to regain homes in what is now Israel that were lost during its 1948-49 independence war, have set up tent encampments a few hundred metres inside Gaza.

Large groups of youths ventured much closer to the no-go zone along the border, risking live fire from Israeli troops to roll burning tyres at the barrier and throw stones.

"I have two kids, a boy and a girl, and if I die, God will take care of them."

Refugees comprise most of the two million population of Israeli-blockaded Gaza, which is ruled by the Islamist militant movement Hamas.

With black tyre smoke and Israeli tear gas rising into the air, Palestinian youths used T-shirts, cheap medical masks and perfume to try and protect themselves.

Israel also tried to douse burning tyres with fire hoses from its side of the border.

The Israeli military has stationed sharpshooters on its side of the frontier to deter Palestinians from trying to break through the fence into Israeli territory.

Israel said many of those killed were militants.

'Demonstrators posing no immediate threat to life'

David Keyes, an Israeli Government spokesman, accused Hamas of having instigated violent protests along the border.

"This is a travesty for the Palestinian people that the Hamas Government is encouraging its people to attack Israel, it is encouraging its people to commit acts of violence," he said.

Hamas' Gaza leader, Yehya Al-Sinwar, spoke at a protest encampment to praise those who turned out to confront the "enemy who besieges us".

He said the demonstrations would continue, telling the crowds: "We will uproot the borders, we will pluck out their hearts, and we will pray in Jerusalem."

Earlier in the day, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem urged protesters to keep the rallies peaceful.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who holds little sway in Gaza, condemned what he described as Israel's "acts of killing and oppression conducted … against the peaceful uprising".

Seventeen of the now 27 Palestinian dead were killed by Israeli gunfire on the first day of protests a week ago, medics said.

The deaths drew international criticism of Israel's response, which human rights groups said involved live fire against demonstrators posing no immediate threat to life.

"We are saying that Israel has obligations to ensure that excessive force is not employed," UN human rights spokeswoman Elizabeth Throssell said in Geneva.

Israel has said it was doing what it must to defend its border and that its troops had been responding with riot dispersal means and fire "in accordance with the rules of engagement".

The Israeli Government has ruled out any right of return for Palestinian refugees, fearing that the country would lose its Jewish majority.

"We condemn leaders and protesters who call for violence or who send protesters — including children — to the fence, knowing that they may be injured or killed," said President Donald Trump's Middle East peace envoy, Jason Greenblatt.

The protest action is set to wind up on May 15, when Palestinians mark the "Naqba", or "Catastrophe" — when hundreds of thousands fled or were driven out of their homes during violence that culminated in war in May 1948 between the newly created state of Israel and its Arab neighbours. </s> File: A Palestinian journalist shot two weeks ago by Israeli forces on the Gaza border has died. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

GAZA CITY – A Palestinian journalist shot two weeks ago by Israeli forces on the Gaza border has died, Israeli and Palestinian sources said Wednesday, the second journalist killed in a month of unrest.

Ahmed Abu Hussein, 25, was shot on 13 April while covering protests along the Gaza border for a radio station based in the Palestinian enclave. The Gaza health ministry announced he had died after receiving treatment inside Israel, which the Sheba hospital near Tel Aviv confirmed.

His brother Diaa told AFP they were preparing to transfer the body to Gaza for burial. Abu Hussein worked for Radio Shaab, a Gazan radio station, as well as being a photographer for another local news agency.

He was shot in the stomach while covering protests near Jabalia in northern Gaza, the health ministry in Gaza said.

Fellow journalist Yasser Murtaja was killed earlier this month while covering the protests.

Abu Hussein's death brought the toll of Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israeli fire since 30 March to 41.

Most of the Palestinians killed by Israel since the start of "March of Return" protests were shot by snipers on the border, while a few others were killed by Israeli artillery or air strikes.

The Israeli army says its troops only open fire in self-defence or to stop protesters attempting to breach the barrier separating the territory from Israel. </s> Reporters Without Borders on Saturday accused the Israeli army of the "deliberate shooting" of journalists in Gaza after a week of bloodshed by the border.

Nine people were killed in the latest unrest, including Yasser Murtaja, a journalist with the Gaza-based Ain Media agency who died from his wounds after being shot, the health ministry in Gaza said.

At least 491 people were also wounded by Israeli gunfire, the ministry said, as thousands of protesters approached the border fence around Gaza for a second Friday in a row, burning tyres and hurling stones at Israeli forces.

"Palestinian photographer Yasser Mourtaja was wearing a vest marked "Press": he was obviously the victim of an intentional shot," said Christophe Deloire, the Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), on Twitter.

"RSF condemns absolutely the deliberate shooting of journalists by the Israeli army."

Murtaja, 30, was shot while taking pictures of the protests east of Khan Younis in the south of the territory, according to the health ministry.

Witnesses say he was close to the front of the protests when he was hit.

An AFP picture taken after he was wounded showed Murtaja wearing a press vest as he received treatment.

His brother Motazem, also a journalist, said he was next to him when he was shot. "The target was very clearly journalists," he said.

Israel's army declined to comment, saying it was reviewing the incident.

Mourners and journalists carried Murtaja's body through the streets of Gaza during his funeral on Saturday.

"We call on the Israeli government to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2222 on the protection of journalists (adopted in 2015), demand an urgent independent investigation and the sentencing of the perpetrators of this crime against freedom of the press," said Deloire.

Israel said around 20,000 people took part in the protests and that they were seeking to breach the border.

The numbers were down from the previous Friday, when tens of thousands approached the border in demonstrations that saw Israeli forces kill 19 Palestinians, making it the bloodiest day in Gaza since a 2014 war. </s> GAZA, Palestinian Territory — A Palestinian journalist who was shot by Israeli troops while covering a demonstration on the Gaza-Israel border earlier this month died of his wounds on Wednesday, the Gaza Health Ministry announced.

With the death, Ahmed Abu Hussein became the second journalist to be fatally shot during weeks of Palestinian border protests.

Abu Hussein, 24, was wounded in the abdomen on April 13 at a protest near Jebaliya, in the northern Gaza Strip. He was later transferred to a Palestinian hospital in the West Bank, and then to an Israeli hospital, where he died Wednesday.

Photos and amateur video from the scene show him far from the border and wearing a blue jacket and helmet marked “TV” when he was shot. The video shows him in a group of bystanders located some 50 metres (yards) behind a wall of burning tires that had been set on fire by demonstrators.

Hussein was working for “Voice of People” — a radio station linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The PFLP is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the U.S. and the EU.

Another journalist, Yasser Murtaja, was killed earlier this month while covering a protest. Israel has claimed he was a Hamas militant, but provided no evidence. His family has denied the claim. Murtaja had recently been hired by a Norwegian advocacy group and had also been screened by the U.S. government before his company received a USAID grant.

Since protests began in late March, 35 Palestinians were killed and more than 1,500 wounded by Israeli soldiers firing across the border. Rights groups say open-fire regulations are unlawful because they permit troops to use potentially lethal force against unarmed protesters. The U.N. and European Union have also questioned Israel’s use of deadly force.
• Natalie Portman pulls out of ‘Jewish Nobel’ ceremony ‘because of extreme distress over recent events’ in Israel

Israel says it’s defending its sovereign border, including nearby communities, and that troops only target instigators. But a handful of amateur videos have contradicted this claim.

Israel accuses Hamas of using the protests as a cover for damaging the fence and preparing to infiltrate and carry out attacks. There is considerable fear among Israelis of a mass breach in which Gazans stream across, wreaking havoc or carrying out attacks.

The army had no immediate comment on Abu Hussein’s shooting. </s> By AFP - Apr 25,2018 - Last updated at Apr 25,2018

People carry the body of Palestinian journalist Ahmed Abu Hussein, 24, who died of wounds from Israeli occupation forces bullets while covering a protest along the Gaza-Israel border, at a hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, on Wednesday (Reuters photo)

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories — A Palestinian journalist shot two weeks ago by Israeli occupation forces on the Gaza border has died, Palestinian sources said on Wednesday, the second journalist killed by Israel in a month of protests.

Ahmed Abu Hussein, 25, was shot on April 13 while covering protests along the Gaza border for Palestinian media.

The Gaza health ministry announced he had died after receiving treatment inside Israel, which the Sheba hospital near Tel Aviv confirmed.

His brother Diaa told AFP they were preparing to transfer the body to Gaza for his funeral.

Abu Hussein worked for Radio Shaab, a well-known radio station seen as close to the left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) party, as well as being a photographer for a local news agency.

Abu Hussein was shot by Israeli occupation forces in the stomach while covering protests near Jabalia in northern Gaza, the health ministry in Gaza said.

Images from the day appear to show him wearing a press helmet in the moments after he was shot.

Israel did not immediately comment on the incident.

The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate said in a statement it held the Israeli authorities "fully responsible for this crime" and called for prosecutions.

Abu Hussein is the second journalist to have been killed by Israeli occupation forces since March 30, after photographer Yasser Murtaja was killed on April 6 while covering the protests.

Abu Hussein's death brought the toll of Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israeli occupation fire since March 30 to 41.

Most of the Palestinians killed by Israel since the start of "March of Return" protests on March 30 were shot by snipers on the border, while a few others were killed by Israeli occupation artillery or air strikes.

No Israelis have been injured.

The deaths have led to calls for investigation from the United Nations, European Union and others, but these have been rejected by Israel.

Israeli occupation forces say it only opens fire in self-defence or to stop protesters attempting to breach the barrier separating the territory from Israel.

The return march protests are calling for Palestinians to be allowed to return to their historic homes, from which they were forced to flee amid mass expulsions surrounding the creation of Israel. </s> TWO PALESTINIANS, INCLUDING a journalist, have died after being shot by Israeli troops during border clashes, the health ministry in Gaza said today, bringing the total killed in the latest violence to nine.

Thousands of protesters approached the border fence around the Gaza Strip for a second Friday in a row, burning tyres and hurling stones at Israeli forces, who responded with tear gas and live ammunition.

In addition to the nine dead, at least 491 were wounded by Israeli gunfire, the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza strip said.

Israel estimated the number of protesters at around 20,000, saying they were seeking to breach the border.

Numbers were down from the previous Friday, when tens of thousands approached the border in demonstrations that saw Israeli forces kill 19 Palestinians, making it the bloodiest day in Gaza since a 2014 war.

No Israelis were injured on either day and the latest deaths have sparked fresh calls for an investigation.

Among those killed at yesterday’s protest was Yasser Murtaja, a photographer with the Gaza-based Ain Media agency, who died from his wounds after being shot, the local health ministry said Saturday.

Murtaja’s company confirmed his death, with witnesses saying he was close to the front of the protests in Southern Gaza when he was hit.

An AFP photograph taken after he was wounded showed Murtaja wearing a press vest as he received treatment.

The Israeli army declined to comment, saying it was reviewing the incident.

The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate said five other journalists were also shot during the protests, insisting they were wearing clothes clearly identifying them as members of the press.

In a statement, the syndicate said it held Israel “fully accountable for this crime.”

The Gaza health ministry also announced todaythe death of another man, 20-year-old Hamza Abdel Aal, saying he was shot east of Al-Bureij in central Gaza.

The nine men were expected to be buried today.

Weeks of border protests have been called to demand the return of Palestinians to land they were forced from or fled after the founding of Israel 70 years ago.

They come with tensions high as the US gears up to shift its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem after recognising the disputed city as the capital of the Jewish state.

Yesterday, protesters said Gaza’s economic woes were also fuelling frustration.

The territory has been under an Israeli blockade for a decade, while Egypt has mostly sealed its borders in recent years as well, leaving the cramped area of two million people largely sealed off.

Ahmad al-Naqaa, 40, said he was bringing his seven children to the protest because “we are living like sardines”.

“I am ready to die for our land and our dignity,” he told AFP.

At the United Nations yesterday, Kuwait called on the Security Council to investigate the deaths.

A Kuwaiti text is expected to be vetoed by the United States after a similar draft declaration was blocked last week.

Israel has rebuffed international calls for a probe into last Friday’s killings.

UN chief Antonio Guterres urged it to “exercise extreme caution with the use of force” ahead of the latest clashes.

The Israeli army said its troops opened fire yesterday “in accordance with the rules of engagement”.

The military said “attempts were made to infiltrate into Israel under the cover of a smokescreen” and that firebombs and explosive devices were thrown at the soldiers.

Israel accuses Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip and with whom it has fought three wars since 2008, of using the protests as cover to carry out violence.

It claimed more than half the dead from the previous Friday were members of militant groups, including Hamas’s armed wing.

Hamas claimed only five of the dead, saying they were participating “in popular events side-by-side with their people.”

Those killed would receive $3,000 to support their families, Hamas announced ahead of Friday’s protests.

Late last night, Israeli army spokesman Brigadier General Ronen Manelis classified the operation along the border as a success.

“None of our troops were wounded, the fence was not crossed,” he said, noting that what happened last week had “deterred Hamas, which prevented the masses from approaching the fence”.

But on the other side, Hamas’s leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar also claimed victory and pledged Palestinians would eventually “break the border and return to our land and pray in Jerusalem”.

Israel has also banned the entry of tyres into the Gaza Strip, the head of a Palestinian committee for coordinating imports to Gaza said.

The borders were quiet this morning.
Israeli troops shoot dead ten Palestinians near the Israel–Gaza barrier, including a Palestinian journalist, as protests continue.