Two Palestinians were wounded by Israeli fire near the Gaza Strip border on Friday afternoon, as protests resumed just two days after the conclusion of the most recent conflagrations at the border. The protests on Friday, the tenth such weekly protests since the beginning of the “March of Return” protest movement in March, were organised under the slogan "Friday from Gaza to Haifa"—marking the dream of Palestinian return to the occupied territories, but also the attempt to break through the naval blockade on the isolated strip earlier this week. The Gazan health ministry confirmed that two Palestinians were injured on Friday, and also confirmed the death of Naji Ghneim, 23, on Wednesday. The total number of Palestinians killed in the recent protests has with Ghneim reached 118 since the start of March, with around 13,000 injured. Israel has come under widespread international condemnation for its use of excessive force and live ammunition against unarmed protesters. On the West Bank on Friday, Israeli forces fired stun grenades and tear gas at hundreds of Palestinians who were trying to reach East Jerusalem through a military checkpoint east of Bethlehem to attend prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque for the third Friday in the holy month of Ramadan. Tens of thousands of Palestinians from all over the West Bank have gathered at checkpoints around Jerusalem since the early hours of Friday, hoping to get a chance to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque in time for the weekly prayers. Palestinian sources estimated over 250,000 people attended Friday prayers at the historic mosque.
