Over 30,000 Palestinians stormed the Israeli/Gaza border Friday to protest Israeli occupation. Fifteen have been confirmed dead, over a thousand injured.

Excerpted from The Jerusalem Post

21:24 Abbas declares day of national mourning in the PA PA says Abbas

PA leader Mahmoud Abbas declared Saturday to be a day of national mourning following the deaths of 12 Palestinian protesters during the Land Day riots that took place at the border fence on Friday.

Over a thousand Palestinians were injured as the IDF soldiers used tear gas fired by drones and sniper fire to prevent terrorists from breaching the fence or firing on Israeli troops.

A seven year old Palestinian girl was encouraged to breach the fence and was returned to her parents unharmed by the IDF.

COGAT Head Maj.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai used social media to call Hamas usage of children ”shameful” and against Islamic law, relaying on an oral tradition that claims the minimal age of fighting is 15.

19:45 COGAT head says Hamas violates Islamic law by sending children to fight

A seven year old Palestinian girl was pushed towards the security fence and returned to her parents by IDF soldiers during the Friday riots that marked the Palestinian Day of Land.

COGAT head Maj.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai slammed Hamas for not following Islamic traditions by citing a Hadit (things said or done by the founder of Islam based on testimonies of people who knew him) in which a follower of Mohammad says that he introduced himself to the prophet at age 14 and was not allowed to fight, but when he asked again to fight at age 15 he was given permission.

‘Did Mohammad send little girls to dangerous places and conflicts?” Asks Mordechai, ”Of course not…Hamas believes there is nothing wrong to risk every child in Gaza with death, in a way that is against Islam!”

Calling the act Haram [Shame] Mordechai said that there is ”no greater shame” than enlisting children.

19:27  IDF forces thwart terrorist attack near the border fence

Two terrorists opened fire on IDF forces near the border fence north of the Gaza strip on Friday. The forces returned fire and used a tank to strike nearby Hamas posts. The two terrorists were killed.

No IDF soldiers were injured during the fire exchange.

IDF spokesperson stated that this is another evidence that Hamas is using the Friday protests to carry out terrorist attacks and warned Israel will not allow the border fence to become an arena for terror.

Palestinian media reported that the two terrorists were Sari Abu ‘Odeh and Hamdan Abu Amsha, the location of the attack was given as Beit Hanoun.

18:58 12 Palestinian protesters reported dead after Gaza riots

Palestinian media reports that 12 Protesters died and 1,272 were wounded after Friday clash with IDF forces near the border fence, stated Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Health Ministry In Gaza.

The riots marked the Palestinian Land Day.

The IDF spokesperson said that the IDF only used live ammunition against protesters who were attempting to breach the fence.

Arab-Israeli human rights group Adalah and Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg questioned the usage of live ammunition to disperse unarmed protesters.

The IDF estimated that there were around 30,000 people who took part in the riots and warned that more events of this nature are likely to happen in the upcoming days.

IDF Spokesman: All dead Gazans were shot trying to breach the border fence

IDF spokesperson Brig-Gen. Ronen Manelis said that over 30,000 Palestinians protested near the Gaza-Israel border on Friday.
”In every spot where there were cases of Palestinians attempting to cross or harm the fence IDF troops returned precise fire,” he said in a phone interview. “Live ammunition was used only against those attempting to harm the fence.”

Manelis said all those who died due to the violent riots were young men between the ages of 18-30.

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