Palestinian Government: Israel Committing Terrible Massacre in Gaza

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Palestinian government accused Israel of committing a "terrible massacre" of the Palestinians in protests in Gaza Strip, while at least 41 Palestinians have been shot dead and hundreds have been wounded by Israeli snipers during the Monday's rallies.

Palestinian Government Spokesman Yusuf al-Mahmoud demanded in a statement "an immediate international intervention to stop the terrible massacre in Gaza committed by the forces of the Israeli occupation against our heroic people".

Meantime, Amnesty International wrote on Twitter that the bloodshed along Gaza's border fence with Israel was an "abhorrent violation" of human rights.

"We are witnessing an abhorrent violation of international law and human rights in Gaza.... This must end immediately," the human rights group stated.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians launched the Great March of Return in the besieged Gaza Strip on Monday to demand their right of return to their villages and towns they were forcibly displaced.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported on Monday that the death toll of the Palestinians matyred by Israeli fire in Gaza border clashes has risen to 40, while some 2,000 people, including children, women and journalists, have been injured by Tel Aviv regime's forces who are positioned along the fence.

"These are the biggest protests we have seen on the border with Gaza so far," Israeli Defence Forces Spokesman told Kann News.

The rally also coincided with the moving of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in line with the Washinton's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December, furthering stoking tensions and angering Palestinians.

The 46-day peaceful protests began on March 30, which coincided with the 42nd anniversary of the Land Day, which marks the day Israeli forces killed six Palestinians during protests against land confiscation in 1976. It continues until May 15, which marks the 70th anniversary of the Nakba (catastrophe), in which over 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes in 1948.

Since the start of the rallies, over 90 Palestinians have been killed and at least 10,000 injured along the fence in Gaza, with no reports of Israeli casualties, according to reports.

The United Nations top human rights official has strongly condemned Israel’s use of “excessive force” on Palestinian protesters in the Gaza Strip. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein has stressed that Israel had to stop the practice and hold to account those responsible for the many deaths and injuries.

Palestinian and foreign doctors have reported that the live fire used by Israeli troops has caused unusually severe injuries among protesters in the besieged Gaza Strip over the past month.

Multiple human rights organizations have come out in full condemnation of Israel’s violent raid on the massive unarmed civilian protests in the besieged sliver.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) slammed Israel’s killing of Palestinian protesters as “unlawful” and “calculated”, saying those officials who authorized the Israeli military to use lethal force ahead of the mass rallies in Gaza are to blame for the bloodshed.

The HRW added that footage of the Gaza demonstrations includes no evidence of protesters using firearms, questioning the Israeli claim that the number of Palestinians injured by live ammunition was likely in the dozens.