09 Apr 2018 - NPWJ News Digest on Middle East and North Africa Democracy

Death toll mounts as Palestinians protest at Gaza border
By The Guardian, 07 Apr 2018

At least nine Palestinian men have been killed and scores more injured by Israeli gunfire on the Gaza border, a week after 18 Palestinians were killed at similar demonstrations. The renewed violence came despite a call by the UN secretary general, António Guterres for Israel to exercise “extreme caution”. His appeal was echoed by the UN human rights spokeswoman Elizabeth Throssell who said unjustified recourse to live fire could amount to wilful killing of civilians – a breach of the fourth Geneva convention. Figures for the dead and injured were supplied by the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza and a website associated with the group. The most seriously injured had reportedly been shot in the head or upper body. Another Palestinian who had been injured in last week’s protests also died on Friday from his wounds. On Saturday morning, the health ministry in Gaza said a Palestinian journalist shot by Israeli forces had died. Yasser Murtaja, a photographer with the Gaza-based Ain Media agency, was hit during clashes Friday. Another man, 20-year-old Hamza Abdel Aal, has also died after being shot, the ministry said, taking the death toll in Friday’s clashes to nine.