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Number of Palestinians Injured in Clashes on Gaza Border Rises to 220 - Official

GAZA (Sputnik) - The number of Palestinians injured in clashes with the Israeli forces on the Gaza border on Friday has increased to 220, Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf Kidra told Sputnik.
Sputnik

Kidra told Sputnik earlier in the day that a Palestinian was killed and 120 others were injured in clashes.

"Today, a 25-year-old Palestinian was killed and other 220 people received injuries of various degrees at the eastern borders of the enclave," Kidra said.

Israel Preparing For Large-Scale Offensive in Gaza – Reports
The Israeli Defense Forces issued a statement earlier on Friday which said that 8,000 "violent rioters" had gathered on the Gaza border on Friday "attempting to sabotage security infrastructure."

The Palestinians have been holding the Great March of Return – a campaign envisaging a series of protest actions – that was launched in the Gaza Strip, near the Israeli border, on March 30. The Great March of Return supporters protest the Gaza Strip siege and call for granting the Palestinian refugees opportunity to return to their homes in the former Palestinian territories that are now Israeli.

The Gaza Strip suffers prolonged humanitarian crisis due to over 10 years of the Israeli occupation. The Gaza population struggles to access most essential services, including stable electricity, cooking gas supplies, medical aid, safe food and drinkable water.

The recent disturbances on the Israeli-Gaza border have been caused by continued shelling and the launch of arson balloons by Hamas militants into the Israeli territories.

Israel Making Gaza Uninhabitable to Expel Palestinians - Activist
On Thursday, Israel tightened the blockade of the Gaza Strip by introducing for an indefinite period of time a ban on the deliveries of fuel to the territory in response to Palestine's ongoing airborne arson attacks.

In early July, the Israeli authorities already imposed embargo on deliveries of any fuel to the Gaza Strip, but then lifted it after the number of Palestinian attacks reduced.

The Israeli authorities have been trying to put an end to the disturbances on the Israeli-Gaza border, using economic sanctions against the movement and threatening to launch a new large-scale offensive against it.

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