The Latest: 12 killed, 1,000 hurt in Israel-Gaza clashes
By Associated Press
Mar 30, 2018 11:12 AM CDT
Palestinian protesters carry a wounded man who was shot by Israeli troops during a demonstration near the Gaza Strip border with Israel, in eastern Gaza City, Friday, March 30, 2018. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)   (Associated Press)

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Latest on developments in Israel and the Palestinian territories (all times local):

6:15 p.m.

The Palestinian Health Ministry says the death toll in Gaza has risen to twelve, with eleven Palestinians killed by Israeli army fire along the border with Israel and a farmer killed by pre-dawn tank fire in a separate incident.

In the deadliest day in Gaza since last fall, the ministry added that at least 1,000 Palestinians were injured Friday by tear gas, live rounds and rubber-coated steel pellets fired by Israeli forces.

The clashes erupted as thousands of Palestinians marched toward the border, including some who threw stones, drawing Israeli fire.

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6 p.m.

The Palestinian Health Ministry says the death toll in Gaza has risen to ten, with nine Palestinians killed by Israeli army fire along the border with Israel and a farmer killed by pre-dawn tank fire in a separate incident.

In the deadliest day in Gaza since last fall, the ministry added that at least 1,000 Palestinians were injured Friday by tear gas, live rounds and rubber-coated steel pellets fired by Israeli forces.

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6 p.m.

The Palestinian Health Ministry says the death toll in Gaza has risen to eight, with seven Palestinians killed by Israeli army fire along the border with Israel and a farmer killed by pre-dawn tank fire in a separate incident.

The ministry says at least 1,000 Palestinians were injured Friday by tear gas, live rounds and rubber-coated steel pellets fired by Israeli forces.

It was the deadliest day in Gaza since last fall.

The clashes erupted as thousands of Palestinians marched toward the border, including some who threw stones, drawing Israeli fire.

The protests marked the launch of what Gaza's Hamas rulers envision as a 6-week-long campaign of mass sit-ins along the border, meant to spotlight the demand of uprooted Palestinians and their descendants to return to what is now Israel. It's also seen as a new attempt by Hamas to break a decade-old Gaza border blockade.

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3:30 p.m.

The Palestinian Health Ministry says Friday's death toll in Gaza has risen to seven, with six Palestinians people killed by Israeli army fire along the border with Israel and a farmer killed by pre-dawn tank fire in a separate incident.

The ministry says at least 550 Palestinians have been injured by tear gas, live rounds and rubber-coated steel pellets fired by Israeli forces.

It was the deadliest day in Gaza since last fall, and was bound to stoke more tensions in the volatile area of the Israel-Gaza border.

The clashes erupted as thousands of Palestinians marched toward the border, including some who threw stones, drawing Israeli fire.

The protests were organized by Gaza's Islamic militant Hamas rulers.

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2:30 p.m.

Gaza health officials have updated the death toll in violence along Gaza border, saying say five Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers at the border fence and one by Israeli tank fire earlier in the day.

The Palestinian Health Ministry says at least 500 Palestinians were hurt by live fire, rubber-coated steel pellets or tear gas fired by Israeli forces at several locations along the fence. The ministry did not provide a breakdown.

Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, commander of the Israeli military's Southern Command, which includes the border, said on Friday that "we are identifying attempts to carry out terror attacks under the camouflage of riots."

He urged Gaza residents to stay away from the border, and held Hamas responsible for any violence there.

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1:15 p.m.

The Palestinian Health Ministry says three Palestinians have been killed and 365 hurt in clashes with Israeli soldiers along the Israel-Gaza border.

The ministry says those injured on Friday included protesters hit by live bullets and rubber-coated steel pellets, while others were overcome by tear gas. It did not provide a breakdown.

The clashes erupted in the context of what Gaza's Islamic militant Hamas rulers at promises would be peaceful protests along the Israel-Gaza border.

Thousands of Gaza residents streamed to five tent encampments, each located about several hundred meters from the border. From there, large crowds marched to the fence, and some among them started throwing stones at soldiers who responded with live fire, tear gas and rubber bullets.

The Israeli military said thousands participated in the clashes, and that troops opened fire at the "main instigators."

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12:05 p.m.

Dozens of Palestinians are clashing with Israeli troops on the Gaza border in protests called for by the militant Hamas group that rules the coastal strip.

The Israeli military says Palestinians rolled burning tires and threw stones at Israeli forces on Friday who then retaliated with tear gas and fire at "main instigators."

The military says it will not tolerate damage to the barrier and that it will hold Hamas responsible.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said four protesters were wounded by gunfire. Hamas has urged Palestinians to gather at the border for mass sit-ins set to last six weeks and culminate with a march to the border.

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9:20 a.m.

A Palestinian health official and a witness say a Palestinian farmer was killed by an Israeli tank shell in the Gaza Strip, hours before Palestinians were to stage mass sit-ins along the border with Israel.

Israel's military said ahead of the protests on Friday that it has doubled its standard troop level along the border, deploying snipers, special forces and paramilitary border police units, which specialize in riot control.

Previous protests near the border fence have turned deadly, with Israeli soldiers firing live bullets at Palestinians burning tires, throwing stones or hurling firebombs.

In Friday's incident, along with the killed Gazan, another Palestinian man was wounded.

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