Israeli troops kill 4 Palestinians as Gaza protest resumes

Palestinian protesters seen at the Gaza-Israel border during the Great March of Return on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian protestors seen at the Gaza-Israel border during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian man uses racket to throw gas cannisters back to Israeli forces during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians seen burning tyres in response to Israeli security forces’ actions during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Israeli troops killed four Palestinians and wounded hundreds of others on Friday with live fire and tear gas used against protesters at the Gaza border, medics said.

Israel said it was defending the frontier against crowds that threw stones and burned tyres in an attempt to cross. It said at one location at least two Palestinian militants fired guns at its forces and others had thrown grenades.

The protests tapered off around sunset when many demonstrators left border camps for the evening meal that breaks their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The Palestinians killed on Friday were three adult men and a 15-year-old boy, Gaza medics said. Of 620 people wounded, 120 were from live fire, they said.

Friday’s deaths bring the total number of Palestinians killed at the Gaza border to 124 since protests there began on March 30, including 60 people killed in a single day last month.

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23-year-old Haitham Abu Sabla runs as he holds a teargas canister stuck on his face during a demonstration commemorating the Naksa, along the border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Ashraf Amra / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians say the protests are a popular outpouring of rage against Israel by people demanding the right to return to homes their families fled or were driven from on Israel’s founding 70 years ago.

The Palestinian United Nations envoy condemned the Friday killings and said that representatives of the Arab Group and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation had asked the president of the UN General Assembly to resume an emergency session to discuss a resolution aimed at protecting Palestinian civilians.

The General Assembly meeting was called for 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on Wednesday.

The resolution, Ambassador Riyad Mansour said, would be similar to a Kuwaiti-drafted resolution that last week received enough support to pass a vote in the Security Council but was vetoed by the United States.

Mansour said the US veto triggered the request and that Friday’s violence “adds to our argument and to the urgency of providing international protection” to Palestinian civilians.

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Palestinian protestors seen at the Gaza-Israel border during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians use slingshot to throw stones during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians use slingshot to throw stones during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians burn tyres in response to Israeli security forces’ intervention during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians burn tyres in response to Israeli security forces’ intervention during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinians use slingshot to throw stones during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian man uses racket to throw gas cannisters back to Israeli forces during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian man uses racket to throw gas cannisters back to Israeli forces during the protests called “commemorating the Naksa”, along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Mustafa Hassona / Anadolu Agency]

23-year-old Haitham Abu Sabla runs as he holds a teargas canister stuck on his face during a demonstration commemorating the Naksa, along the border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Ashraf Amra / Anadolu Agency]

23-year-old Haitham Abu Sabla runs as he holds a teargas canister stuck on his face during a demonstration commemorating the Naksa, along the border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Ashraf Amra / Anadolu Agency]

23-year-old Haitham Abu Sabla runs as he holds a teargas canister stuck on his face during a demonstration commemorating the Naksa, along the border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Ashraf Amra / Anadolu Agency]

23-year-old Haitham Abu Sabla runs as he holds a teargas canister stuck on his face during a demonstration commemorating the Naksa, along the border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on June 8, 2018 [Ashraf Amra / Anadolu Agency]