Palestinian man killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza as 'Day of Rage' rally turns deadly

Palestinian man killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza as 'Day of Rage' rally turns deadly
Mahmoud al-Masry was killed after he was shot in the back near the Israeli border of south Israel.
2 min read
08 December, 2017
A Palestinian man was killed by Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip on Friday after protests became violent during the "Day of Rage" rally. 

Mahmoud al-Masry, 30, was shot in the back and killed in the east of Khan Younis area. 

The Palestinian Ministry of Health originally confirmed the death of two men before retracting confirmation of a second death.

The Red Crescent reported that more than 200 people have been injured across Palestine, of which 110 injuries alone were reported in the area near where Masry died.

The violence occurred against US President Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Leader of Palestinian Hamas group Ismail Haniya called for a new Palestinian uprising in retaliation to Trump's move. In a speech on Thursday, Haniya's address to "the Palestinian people, the Palestinian Authority and the rest of the Arab World" announced the start of a new intifada, due to begin on Friday.

Israeli troops responded to the protesters with violent force; firing tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds to suppress public disorder.

Trump's move ends seven decades of US ambiguity on the status of the Holy City, which is vociferously claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians, and his decision immediately caused a stir with US allies who condemned the move.

"Mr Trump! Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims," Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a televised speech, echoing alarm expressed by Palestinian and Arab leaders.

In his address, Erdogan warned that any move to back Israel's claim to the city would mobilise "the entire Islamic world" and threatened to sever Ankara’s recently-renewed diplomatic ties with the Jewish state.

Turkey will hold a leaders' summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Wednesday in Istanbul to discuss Trump's decision.

Saudi Arabia's royal court condemned the decision as "irresponsible". 

Protests have been taking place globally against Trump's decision including in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, TurkeyMalaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan. People are also due to hit the streets in London on Friday night outside the US embassy.