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Uneasy Calm Falls Over Gaza After Israel Kills Scores in Protests Uneasy Calm Falls Over Gaza After Israel Kills Scores at Protests
(about 2 hours later)
Right now: Gaza is largely quiet, a day after protests against Israel turned bloody.Right now: Gaza is largely quiet, a day after protests against Israel turned bloody.
• The death toll in the protests on Monday, in which Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators, reached 60 overnight.• The death toll in the protests on Monday, in which Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators, reached 60 overnight.
• The center of Gaza City was quiet, after the militant group Hamas called for a general strike.• The center of Gaza City was quiet, after the militant group Hamas called for a general strike.
• A spokesman for the United Nations Human Rights office criticized Israel, saying, “It seems anyone is liable to be shot dead or injured.”• A spokesman for the United Nations Human Rights office criticized Israel, saying, “It seems anyone is liable to be shot dead or injured.”
Gaza awoke on Tuesday to a grim agenda: Funerals for protesters killed along the fence bordering Israel, including one for an 8-month-old baby girl overcome by tear gas; and still-frenzied work treating the thousands of people wounded, in hospitals so overrun with patients that tents were set up in their courtyards. Gaza awoke on Tuesday to a grim agenda: Funerals for protesters killed along the fence bordering Israel, including one for an 8-month-old baby girl overcome by tear gas; and frenzied work treating the thousands of people wounded, in hospitals so overrun with patients that tents were set up in their courtyards.
There was also uncertainty about whether the demonstrations would grow, fade, or give way to an outright armed conflict. The death toll in the protests reached 60 overnight.There was also uncertainty about whether the demonstrations would grow, fade, or give way to an outright armed conflict. The death toll in the protests reached 60 overnight.
The demonstrations on Monday, the latest in a series of deadly protests intended to spotlight anger on the blockade that has inflicted economic misery for the residents of Gaza, coincided with the formal relocation of the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, another source of grievance for Palestinians. The demonstrations on Monday, the latest in a series of protests intended to spotlight anger on the blockade that has inflicted economic misery for the residents of Gaza, coincided with the formal relocation of the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, another source of grievance for Palestinians.
A day after the protests, Palestinians commemorated the Nakba, the expulsion or flight of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes upon the creation of the state of Israel 70 years ago, in a more subdued way. A day after the protests, Palestinians commemorated the Nakba, the expulsion or flight of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes upon the creation of the state of Israel 70 years ago. Large protests in Gaza and in the West Bank had been planned for the day, but in the wake of Monday’s bloodshed, a more subdued approach appeared to have taken hold.
At the border fence, few protesters had gathered by late morning. In downtown Gaza City, the streets were quiet largely because Hamas, the militant group that controls the territory, had ordered a general strike. In downtown Gaza City, the streets were quiet, largely because Hamas, the militant group that controls the territory, had ordered a general strike. Shops were closed, though the streets were not entirely deserted because people were streaming to mosques for midday funerals of those killed on Monday. — Isabel Kershner and Declan Walsh
Shops were closed, though the streets were not entirely deserted because people were streaming to mosques for midday funerals of those killed on Monday. Early in the demonstrations, which began on March 30, organizers had called for it to climax on Tuesday, but by late afternoon, only small protests had materialized along the border, in sharp contrast to the vast crowds there on Monday.
Across the fence in Israel, a tense, almost pastoral calm prevailed along the borderline at midday, in contrast to the bloody scenes that played out on the same hour the day before. Opposite a protest site between Beit Hanoun and Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip, the only trace of the previous day’s events were scorched patches of ground where flaming kites had set golden wheat fields on fire. At the biggest protest area, east of Gaza City, the gathering numbered in the hundreds, rather than the thousands. Only a few dozen people ventured close to the border fence, including young men with slingshots and a group of eight women chanting slogans.
The emergency firefighting teams were sitting idle. No new fires had been registered. No protesters could be seen across the barrier. Protesters had rolled tires toward the fence, and sent a few burning kites across the barrier. An Israeli drone flew over the demonstrators and dropped tear gas canisters among them, and witnesses said an Israeli soldier had shot one Palestinian in the leg.
On the Israeli side of the fence, a field was in flames, apparently set alight by one of the Palestinian kites. But for the most part, a tense, almost pastoral calm prevailed, rather than the violence and chaos of a day earlier.
At a protest site between the cities of Beit Hanoun and Jabaliya, in the northern part of Gaza, no protesters could be seen at midday. Across the fence, Israeli emergency firefighting teams sat idle. The only trace of the previous day’s events on the Israeli side were scorched patches of ground where kites had set wheat fields on fire.
Soldiers and other onlookers were left to wonder whether some kind of a deal had been struck overnight: After all, they noted, the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel into Gaza, a main point to transport goods into the territory that had been damaged three times by protesters, was abruptly reopened just days after Israeli officials said it had been almost completely destroyed.Soldiers and other onlookers were left to wonder whether some kind of a deal had been struck overnight: After all, they noted, the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel into Gaza, a main point to transport goods into the territory that had been damaged three times by protesters, was abruptly reopened just days after Israeli officials said it had been almost completely destroyed.
Israeli Palestinians planned demonstrations for Tuesday evening in Umm el-Fahm, Majd el-Krum and in the Negev, and marches were set to take place in the cities of Haifa, Nazareth, Tel Aviv and a handful of smaller places. — Isabel Kershner and Declan Walsh Israeli Palestinians planned demonstrations for Tuesday evening in Umm el-Fahm, Majd el-Krum and in the Negev, and marches were set to take place in the cities of Haifa, Nazareth, Tel Aviv and a handful of smaller places. — Iyad Abuheweila, Isabel Kershner and Declan Walsh
United Nations human rights officials said on Tuesday that Israel’s use of lethal force against Palestinian demonstrators was unjustified and called for an independent investigation into what could be grave breaches of international law.United Nations human rights officials said on Tuesday that Israel’s use of lethal force against Palestinian demonstrators was unjustified and called for an independent investigation into what could be grave breaches of international law.
“We condemn the appalling deadly violence in Gaza yesterday,” Rupert Colville, the spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, told reporters. “We are extremely worried about what may happen later today,” he said. “We urge maximum restraint. Enough is enough.” “We condemn the appalling deadly violence in Gaza yesterday,” Rupert Colville, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, told reporters. “We are extremely worried about what may happen later today,” he said. “We urge maximum restraint. Enough is enough.”
International law allowed for the use of lethal force only as a last resort in the face of an immediate threat to life or serious injury, Mr. Colville noted. Those laws “appear to have been ignored again and again,” he added.International law allowed for the use of lethal force only as a last resort in the face of an immediate threat to life or serious injury, Mr. Colville noted. Those laws “appear to have been ignored again and again,” he added.
“An attempt to approach, or crossing or damaging the green line fence do not amount to a threat to life or serious injury and are not sufficient grounds for the use of live ammunition,” he said. “It seems anyone is liable to be shot dead or injured.” “An attempt to approach, or crossing or damaging the green line fence do not amount to a threat to life or serious injury and are not sufficient grounds for the use of live ammunition,” he added. “It seems anyone is liable to be shot dead or injured.”
The United Nations Human Rights office called for independent and transparent investigations into all cases of death and injury since March 30, a period in which it said 112 Palestinians had been killed, including 14 children, and thousands more wounded. — Nick Cumming-BruceThe United Nations Human Rights office called for independent and transparent investigations into all cases of death and injury since March 30, a period in which it said 112 Palestinians had been killed, including 14 children, and thousands more wounded. — Nick Cumming-Bruce
In the West Bank, sirens sounded at noon for 70 seconds to mark the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, the Arabic word for catastrophe.In the West Bank, sirens sounded at noon for 70 seconds to mark the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, the Arabic word for catastrophe.
As in past years, this was a holiday for Palestinians, with schools and government offices closed, though bakeries, gas stations and pharmacies, among other shops, remained open.As in past years, this was a holiday for Palestinians, with schools and government offices closed, though bakeries, gas stations and pharmacies, among other shops, remained open.
In Clock Square in Ramallah, also known as Yasir Arafat Square — where a statue shows a young man clambering up a pole to raise the flag of Palestine over Jerusalem — life briefly came to a halt.In Clock Square in Ramallah, also known as Yasir Arafat Square — where a statue shows a young man clambering up a pole to raise the flag of Palestine over Jerusalem — life briefly came to a halt.
A short while later, a small group of Palestinians and Israeli security forces clashed at a checkpoint between Ramallah and the Jewish settlement of Beit El.A short while later, a small group of Palestinians and Israeli security forces clashed at a checkpoint between Ramallah and the Jewish settlement of Beit El.
Violence was also reported in the early afternoon in Hebron and Bethlehem, where police officers were said to be firing rubber bullets at protesters. — David M. Halbfinger and Rami NazzalViolence was also reported in the early afternoon in Hebron and Bethlehem, where police officers were said to be firing rubber bullets at protesters. — David M. Halbfinger and Rami Nazzal
The White House staunchly defended Israel’s actions, while several nations condemned them, but much of the official reaction around the world was more muted, voicing horror at the bloodshed but not assigning blame.The White House staunchly defended Israel’s actions, while several nations condemned them, but much of the official reaction around the world was more muted, voicing horror at the bloodshed but not assigning blame.
“I am profoundly alarmed and concerned by the sharp escalation of violence and the number of Palestinians killed and injured in the Gaza protests,” António Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, said in a statement on Tuesday. “It is imperative that everyone shows the utmost restraint to avoid further loss of life.”“I am profoundly alarmed and concerned by the sharp escalation of violence and the number of Palestinians killed and injured in the Gaza protests,” António Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, said in a statement on Tuesday. “It is imperative that everyone shows the utmost restraint to avoid further loss of life.”
South Africa and Turkey recalled their ambassadors to Israel in protest, and Turkey also withdrew its ambassador to the United States. South Africa and Turkey recalled their ambassadors to Israel in protest, and Turkey also withdrew its ambassador to the United States. On Tuesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned Israel’s ambassador, Eitan Na’eh, and “notified him that it would be appropriate for him to return to his country for a while,” Hami Aksoy, a ministry spokesman, said.
Kuwait called a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to discuss the Gaza violence, which it blamed on Israel. The government of Saudi Arabia, whose icy relations with Israel have thawed in recent years, issued “strong condemnation and denunciation of the deadly targeting of unarmed Palestinians by the Israeli Forces of Occupation,” according to the official news agency S.P.A.Kuwait called a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to discuss the Gaza violence, which it blamed on Israel. The government of Saudi Arabia, whose icy relations with Israel have thawed in recent years, issued “strong condemnation and denunciation of the deadly targeting of unarmed Palestinians by the Israeli Forces of Occupation,” according to the official news agency S.P.A.
Among major Western powers, there was much criticism of the relocation of the American Embassy, but only President Emmanuel Macron of France directly assailed Israel’s actions.Among major Western powers, there was much criticism of the relocation of the American Embassy, but only President Emmanuel Macron of France directly assailed Israel’s actions.
But the Trump administration echoed the Israeli stance, that the organizers of the protests were to blame for the deaths and injuries, not Israel. “The responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas,” Raj Shah, a White House spokesman, told reporters on Monday.But the Trump administration echoed the Israeli stance, that the organizers of the protests were to blame for the deaths and injuries, not Israel. “The responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas,” Raj Shah, a White House spokesman, told reporters on Monday.