At least 121 Palestinian protesters killed by Israel so far

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM/GAZA BORDER — A Palestinian man shot by Israeli occupation forces during recent protests along the Gaza border died on Saturday, the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave announced.

Hussein Abu Oweida, 41, was wounded east of Gaza City, the ministry said in a statement on its Facebook page, Agence France-Presse reported.

It did not say exactly when he was shot, but low-level demonstrations along the border have continued since protests peaked on May 14.

At least 121 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli occupation forces’ fire in the Gaza Strip since mass protests broke out on March 30, according to newly-released figures from the ministry, as reported by Agence France-Presse.

No Israelis have been killed during that time.

Dozens of Palestinians demonstrating at the Gaza border were injured by Israeli gunfire and tear gas on Friday, Reuters reported, as the latest round of protests drew several thousand participants to the frontier.

Dubbed the March of Return, the protests were launched on March 30 to demand the right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants to family lands or homes from which they were forcibly displaced during Israel’s founding in 1948.

Israeli occupation forces fired tear gas and live rounds. Soldiers also fired at kites with flaming tails to try to bring them down before they landed in Israeli farmland and set crops alight.

Gaza health ministry officials said at least 109 protesters were hurt. Medics said at least 10 were wounded by live rounds, according to Reuters.

At least 61 Palestinians were killed by Israeli occupation forces on May 14, when tens of thousands of Gazans protested as the US moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Israel claims its actions are necessary to defend the border and stop mass incursions into its territory.