Israel forces kill 4 Palestinians in Gaza, W/Bank

The West Bank raid took place, on Tuesday, in the Jenin refugee camp, with 20 others also injured, according to Palestinian health officials. The dead have not yet been named.

In Gaza, the Palestinian man killed is Yousef Salem Radwan, 25. Israeli forces shot him in east of Khan Yunis in Gaza, reported Palestinian media.

Israeli military did not confirm the Gaza killing but said that “rioters” gathered next to the fence that separates Gaza from Israel. It added that “a number of explosive devices were activated by the rioters”.

The military didn’t give few details about deaths in Jenin, apart from saying that it carried out a drone attack.

Violence came after Israel announced on Sunday that it would keep the Beit Hanoun (called “Erez” by Israel) crossing closed. This is following an eruption of border protests and a “security assessment” by defence officials.

“The reopening of the crossing will be subject to ongoing evaluation based on the evolving situation in the region,” COGAT said. COGAT is a unit of the Israeli Defence Ministry responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs.

The closure of Beit Hanoun, the sole pedestrian passageway out of the enclave into Israel, has left roughly 18,000 Palestinians from Gaza, unable to access their jobs. These are Palestinians who already have Israeli work permits.

The string of protests came during a holiday season in Israel that began with the Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year last week. And it continues through the Sukkot festival next week.

During the holidays, large numbers of Jews often enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.

This meant restrictions on Palestinian access to the holy site, which is also a Palestinian national symbol.

Gazan officials said Israel still allowed medical cases to use the crossing. Israel plans to reopen the crossing, on Monday, following a shutdown due to Jewish holidays.

Collective punishment

The Israeli NGO Gisha, which advocates for Palestinians’ freedom of movement, condemned the blockade of entry to Israel.

The move is “harming Gaza workers, their families, and other permit holders who need to travel for humanitarian needs”, Gisha said in a statement.

One of the Gazans affected Kamal, said he and his fellow workers “have nothing to do with the security situation in Gaza”.

“Closing Erez costs my family and me our food and living expenses,” said the 41-year-old construction worker. The worker gave only his first name for fear of reprisal from the Israeli authorities.

Palestinians have far higher earning power in Israel than in Gaza, where salaries are low and unemployment is rife.

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Ashraf, 36, expressed the same concerns as he described the closure as “collective punishment against workers”.

“We only want to work and live,” the permit holder said.

An employee at a restaurant in Jaffa called on the Israeli authorities to “compensate for the days of work lost” due to the border closure.

Israel has maintained a strict land, air and sea blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007. That was when Hamas seized power in the coastal enclave.

There have been multiple wars fought between Gaza-based armed groups and Israel in recent years.

Violence against protesters

Hamas has said the protests in Gaza have been a response to Israeli provocations, citing an increase in the number of far-right nationalist Jewish activists entering the Al-Aqsa compound.

On Monday, Israeli forces attacked Palestinian worshippers at Bab as-Silsila. Bab as-Silsila is one of the main entrances to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

They also denied access to Palestinians below age of 50, to clear way for Israeli settlers on Rosh Hashanah.

“As long as these provocations continue, the protests will continue,” Hamas spokesperson, Hazem Qasem said. SOURCE: (Al-Jazeera & News Agencies)