Israel closes border crossing with Gaza

erez - Israel closed the border with the Gaza Strip on Sunday at the city of Erez after the violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces on Friday. The border crossing in the north of the Gaza Strip is still open for humanitarian aid, journalists and aid workers, and informed the Israeli institution for activities in the Palestinian Territories (Cogat).

According to Palestinian sources, two people were shot dead Friday by the Israeli army. At least 270 others were injured. According to the Israeli army, thousands of Palestinians came to the fence at the border and threw fire bombs and explosives at the military.

Only a few days ago Israeli media reported that Friday was a test for an agreement on peace between Israel and the radical Islamic Hamas movement. Both parties negotiate about this with the help of Egypt.

Since the end of March, the Palestinians have been protesting at the border every Friday. They demand an end to the blockade of Gaza and the right to return to their former homeland or that of their parents and grandparents. Their villages or cities are now part of Israeli territory. The Palestinians refer to the flight and displacement of hundreds of thousands of people at the establishment of the Israeli state in 1948.