Forty Palestinians were injured on Saturday August 21, including a child seriously, by Israeli fire during clashes at the border separating Israel from the Gaza Strip, according to the authorities in the enclave.
The Israeli army also reported one seriously injured in its ranks.
Following the clashes, the Hebrew state announced that it had carried out air raids against "four weapons manufacturing and storage sites belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization", the ruling movement in Gaza.
According to the IDF and witnesses, Israeli soldiers opened fire on young demonstrators throwing incendiary devices and trying to climb the Israeli barrier, exactly three months after the entry into force of a ceasefire. the fire ended an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas.
"Forty-one civilians were injured," including a 13-year-old child who is in critical condition after being shot in the head, the health ministry in Gaza said in a statement.
According to Hamas, "thousands" of people participated in the protests.
For its part, the IDF reported that a policeman was "seriously injured" by gunfire from the blockaded enclave.
"His condition is critical and his life is in danger," border police reported of the 21-year-old sniper.
Tear gas and burnt tires
The Israeli army told AFP that "several hundred rioters" tried to cross the barrier by throwing "explosive projectiles".
The military used tear gas as protesters burned tires.
She explained that she "responded by means of riot dispersal, including, if necessary, with live ammunition".
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on television that these were "extremely serious events which will give rise to a response."
>> To read also: "Gaza: incendiary balloons, a weapon to test the nerves of Naftali Bennett?"
Shortly after this statement, the IDF said in a statement that its fighter jets had struck Hamas "four weapons and storage sites", and that it had reinforced its contingent in Gaza.
No casualties from the air raid were immediately reported.
Protesters were responding to a call by Hamas to mark the 52nd anniversary of the burning in Jerusalem of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third holiest site.
"The Al-Aqsa Mosque is a red line. Our people will strongly resist any attack that targets them," Hamas said in a statement.
Reconstruction aid pending
Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day lightning war in May.
The estimated two million Palestinians who have lived in the impoverished enclave and under Israeli blockade for almost 15 years are still awaiting reconstruction in Gaza after the bombings in May.
While tens of millions of dollars in Qatari aid destined for Gaza have been blocked by Israel since May, the Hebrew state announced on Thursday a new system of distributing this money, which will now be done through the UN. .
On Monday, for the first time since the ceasefire, a rocket was fired from Gaza into Israel.
The projectile was intercepted by the "Iron Dome" missile shield, according to the IDF.
For more than a year from March 2018, weekly rallies were held in Gaza to demand an end to the blockade and "the right of return" of Palestinians forced into exile during the creation of Israel in 1948;
350 Palestinians were killed by gunfire from Israeli soldiers.
With AFP
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