Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 3 april 2018

Gaza toll rises to 18, Israel rejects excessive force claims

By FARES AKRAM and KAR- attempt to tear down the
IN LAUB fence.
Associated Press Hamas leader Ismail Hani-
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) yeh on Sunday hinted at
— Israel's military rejected an escalation, saying last
new allegations Monday Friday's protests had a
of unlawful use of force "limit," but that it's not clear
against unarmed Palestin- where that limit would be
ians during mass protests next time.
in Gaza last week, as the In Friday's march, thou-
Palestinian death toll rose sands of Palestinians — Is-
to 18. rael estimated a turnout of
Israeli troops prevented 35,000 — headed toward
a mass breach of the the border area along sev-
border fence and an at- eral points. Smaller groups
tempt by Gaza's Islamic moved closer to the bor-
militant Hamas to "drag us der fence, throwing stones,
into a catastrophe," said hurling firebombs or burn-
Brig. Gen. Ronen Mane- ing tires.
lis, an army spokesman. Manelis alleged Monday
He denied soldiers acted that Hamas staged the
unlawfully, but said some mass march as a cover for
mistakes might have been attacks. He said there were
made and would be inves- five attempts to cross the Palestinian relatives of 29-year-old Fares al-Reqeb, who died Monday of his injuries, react while
mourners carry his body out of the family house during his funeral in the town of Khan Younis,
tigated. fence, including with cut- Monday, April 2, 2018.
Israel's defense minister had ters, and that three explo- Associated Press
previously rejected interna- sives were planted.
tional calls for an indepen- He said at least 11 of those phone, told The Associated Abu Shanab, had thrown objects, firing on individu-
dent investigation. killed were members of mili- Press on Monday that just stones close to the fence als well behind the fence,
Allegations of excessive tant groups, including two before the shooting, Ab- before joining the group for in some cases retreating,
force and unlawful shoot- who opened fire on sol- delnabi had been involved prayers. Local hospital re- not moving forward, or ad-
ings were prompted by diers near the border, but in burning tires about 200 cords indicate Abu Shanab vancing without posing im-
the death toll — Friday was would not say how the oth- meters (yards) from the was shot in the leg. minent threat," he said.
the bloodiest day in Gaza ers were killed. He defined fence. Manelis alleged that the The Palestinian Health Min-
since the 2014 Israel-Hamas a wide range of actions Manelis said that the man video was fabricated, with- istry said Monday that the
war — and comments by near the fence as terrorism, in the video "had carried out elaborating. number of Palestinians
military officials that the including throwing stones out acts of terror along the He said soldiers followed killed Friday rose to 18, after
"main instigators" were tar- and burning tires. fence for several hours," an strict rules of engagement, a 29-year-old man died of
geted. Amateur video has The military's open-fire apparent reference to the but would not say in which his injuries. The total includ-
emerged showing one Pal- policies came under more burning of tires, but said the cases they used lethal ed 13 demonstrators and
estinian being fatally shot scrutiny as amateur vid- military would investigate. force. He said a 100-meter five Palestinians killed by Is-
from behind while carrying eos emerged purportedly In another video, a man is wide area in Gaza, along raeli fire near the Gaza bor-
a tire as he ran from the showing two Palestinians seen kneeling in the first of the fence, had been de- der in other circumstances
border area. being shot — one killed and two rows of worshippers Fri- fined as a no-go zone. that day, including two
Hamas, which organized one wounded — while not day, facing the fence at a Rights groups said it's un- gunmen who had opened
Friday's mass march, has posing any apparent im- distance of 150 to 200 me- lawful to use lethal force fire on Israeli soldiers.
hinted that future protests mediate threat to soldiers. ters (yards). Suddenly, he when protesters don't pose The ministry has said 758
— to be staged off and In one video posted on so- stands up, limps a few me- an imminent threat. people were wounded by
on for the next six weeks — cial media, a young man ters, collapses and is car- "An army can use reason- live fire on Friday — a fig-
could culminate in a mass later identified as Abdelfa- ried away by young men able force to defend a bor- ure disputed by Manelis,
border breach, referring to tah Abdelnabi is seen be- who shout "Allahu Akbar," der," said Omar Shakir, of who said he believed sev-
a Palestinian return to Jeru- ing fatally shot from behind or "God is Great." Human Rights Watch. eral dozen Palestinians at
salem. while carrying a tire as he Adli Abu Taha, who filmed "This was an incident where most were wounded by live
However, Hamas leaders ran away from the border. the incident on his mo- soldiers were firing from be- rounds and the rest by tear
have not said specifically Majd al-Omari, who filmed bile phone, said the man, hind the fence, separated gas and rubber-coated
that large crowds would the incident on his smart- later identified as Ibrahim by buffer zones and other steel pellets.q