The Israeli military used tear gas and live ammunition to conduct Palestinian protests near the border

According to the Associated Press, Israeli police used tear gas and live ammunition to pay hundreds of Palestinians protesting near the southern border of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.

The protest was to persuade Israel to end the blockade of Gaza, which was also implemented by Egypt, strictly restricting the entry and exit of goods and people in the area. During the protests on Wednesday, the Israeli military stated that it was using 0.22 caliber artillery. Palestinian medical staff reported that at least nine people were injured during the demonstration.

This incident occurred after a similar incident on Saturday when hundreds of protesting Palestinians stormed the Israeli border fence. More than 40 Palestinians were injured by Israeli artillery fire, and an Israeli soldier was seriously injured after being hit in the head by a Palestinian militant.

“They described the riots as peaceful,” said Lieutenant Colonel Amnon Scheffler, a spokesman for the Israeli military. “Actually, these riots are very violent.”

The blockade of Gaza began in 2007, when Hamas, an anti-Israel militant group, took control of the area. Hamas organized protests because the organization and Israel have been fighting each other since 2007, most recently during the 11-day war in May.

For more reports from the Associated Press, please see below.

The Israeli military strengthened its forces before Wednesday’s demonstrations.

The Al-Aqsa TV station of Hamas showed that a group of people approached the fence and then fled when an Israeli military vehicle arrived. The tear gas can be seen floating in the wind. The .22 caliber gun used by the military is a weapon that is less lethal than more powerful guns, but can still be lethal.

Saturday’s demonstration led to violent clashes.

An Israeli soldier was severely injured by a Palestinian militant who shot him in the head at close range from a hole in the wall. One of the injured Palestinians, Osama Dueji, died of his injuries on Wednesday. The ruling Hamas militant group in Gaza identified him as a member of its armed wing.

Scheffler said that Saturday’s demonstrators opened fire and threw explosives at the soldiers and tried to dismantle the fence.

He declined to say how many troops were mobilized on Wednesday, but said the number was much higher than Saturday, including anti-riot troops.

Hamas organized protests in an attempt to put pressure on Israel to relax its blockade on Gaza.

Hamas took control of Gaza a year after winning the Palestinian elections. The blockade destroyed Gaza’s economy and contributed to an unemployment rate that hovered around 50%. Israel says it needs a blockade to prevent Hamas from building its military capabilities.

Israel and Hamas have fought four wars and several skirmishes.

Hamas accused Israel of tightening the blockade and violating the ceasefire agreement that ended the fighting. In particular, it limits the access of materials required for reconstruction. Israel demanded the return of the remains of two soldiers killed in the 2014 war, as well as the return of two Israeli civilians believed to have been imprisoned by Hamas.

Last week, Israel and Qatar reached an agreement to allow the Gulf country to resume assistance to thousands of poor families in Gaza.

Under the new system, payments will be made by United Nations Send it directly to the family that has been censored in Israel. In the past, aid was delivered directly to Hamas in the form of cash.

Payments are expected to begin in the next few weeks, providing some relief to Gaza.

But the tension remains high. In addition to the demonstrations, Hamas also allowed its supporters to launch burning balloons across the border, causing some wildfires in southern Israel. Israel responded with a series of air strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza.

As the mediator between Israel and Hamas, Egypt has been working hard to bring about a long-term truce between the two old enemies.

This week, Egypt closed its border crossing with Gaza, which is the main exit point for the people of the territory to travel abroad to express its disappointment with Hamas.