Palestinian youth killed by Israeli army gunfire
Ziyad Akl dies from his wounds after begin shot during protests along the Gaza border
A young Palestinian protester died from his wounds early Saturday after being shot by the Israeli army.
Ziyad Akl, 23, was seriously wounded by Israeli gunfire during protests Friday in the Gaza-Israel buffer zone, Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesman for the Gaza-based Palestinian Ministry of Health, said in a press release.
Five protesters were killed and 180 others injured, including 35 minors and four paramedics, al-Qidra said.
The Israeli army said roughly 16,000 Palestinians took part in the protests.
Hundreds of Palestinians had converged along the zone as part of ongoing demonstrations against Israel’s decades-long occupation.
More than 200 Palestinians have been killed and thousands more injured by Israeli troops deployed near the buffer zone since such rallies began on March 30.