Palestinians protest along the barrier between Gaza and Israel near Nahal Oz, on April 13, 2018. One Palestinian was killed and at least 968 wounded Friday in daylong clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers stationed at the barrier between Israel and Gaza, medics said. (Xinhua/Guo Yu)
GAZA, April 13 (Xinhua) -- One Palestinian was killed and at least 968 wounded Friday in daylong clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers stationed at the border between Israel and Gaza, medics said.
Ashraf al-Qedra, the health ministry spokesman in Gaza told reporters that Islam Herzallah, 28 years old from Gaza city, died of an Israeli gunshot in his abdomen in the protest.
He added that among the 968 injuries, 170 were caused by live ammunition, including ten paramedics and seven local journalists and cameramen.
Thousands of Palestinians participated in the protests and clashed with Israeli soldiers close to the border in eastern Gaza with Israel. They burned tires to create smoke as shield to interrupt Israeli gunshots.
They also burned Israeli flags and waved Palestinian flags.
Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas spokesman said burning Israeli flags is a message to those "who believe in normalization with the occupation and a message to the world that this occupation's presence on the land of Palestine is illegal."
Eyewitnesses said that dozens of Palestinian demonstrators managed to cut part of the barbed wire of the border.
The health ministry said in an official press statement that Israeli soldiers are targeting with live ammunition and tear gas the paramedics and the medical clinics established in the tents near the border.
Hamas and other Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip began on March 30 six-week rallies that they named "the Great March of Return."
The march is expected to peak on May 15, the day after the 70th anniversary of Israel's declaration of independence but marked by the Palestinians as the Nakba Day, or "Day of the Catastrophe."
The Gaza Health Ministry said in an official figure that 34 Palestinians were killed, including two Hamas militants, and more than 2,800 were wounded since the start of the popular rallies.
