Gazans bury dead after bloodiest day of Israel border protests

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Reuters
Published : 16:48, May 15, 2018 | Updated : 16:50, May 15, 2018

The mother of 8-month-old Palestinian infant Laila al-Ghandour, who died after inhaling tear gas during a protest against US embassy move to Jerusalem at the Israel-Gaza border, mourns during her funeral in Gaza City May 15, 2018. REUTERSPalestinians rallied in Gaza on Tuesday for the funerals of scores of people killed by Israeli troops a day earlier, while on the Gaza-Israel border, Israeli forces took up positions to deal with the expected final day of a Palestinian protest campaign.

Monday’s violence on the border, which took place as the United States opened its new embassy in Jerusalem, was the bloodiest for Palestinians since the 2014 Gaza conflict.

The death toll rose to 60 overnight after an eight-month-old baby died from tear gas that her family said she inhaled at a protest camp on Monday. More than 2,200 Palestinians were also injured by gunfire or tear gas.

Palestinian leaders have called Monday’s events a massacre, and the Israeli tactic of using live fire against the protesters has drawn worldwide concern and condemnation.

Israel has said it is acting in self-defence to defend its borders and communities. Its main ally the United States has backed that stance, with both saying that Hamas, the Islamist group that rules the coastal enclave, instigated the violence.

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