Gaza border clashes wound 24 Palestinians, Israeli policeman

By WAFAA SHURAFA
Associated Press

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli gunfire has wounded 24 Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy who was shot in the head, during a protest along Gaza’s border with Israel. In Israel, meanwhile, officials say a policeman has been critically wounded by Palestinian gunfire. The violence was reminiscent of the weekly rallies organized by Gaza’s Hamas rulers in 2018 and 2019 to draw attention to Israel’s stifling blockade over the tiny seaside territory. Saturday’s protest grew violent after dozens of people approached the fortified border fence and threw rocks toward Israeli soldiers from behind a black smoke screen. Israeli troops fired tear gas and live rounds toward the protesters.