Thursday, April 5, 2018

Along Gaza’s border, IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians participating in the Great March of Return near al-Bureij refugee camp, Jabaliya refugee camp, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City; 9 Palestinians are injured. In the West Bank, hundreds of Israeli settlers visit Joseph’s Tomb outside Nablus, sparking clashes between their IDF escort and stone-throwing Palestinians in the area; 2 Palestinians are injured. The IDF closes down the main road between Qalqilya and Nablus to make way for an Israeli settlers’ march. Meanwhile, IDF troops patrol near Hebron and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, unidentified Israelis spray racist graffiti and slash the tires of Palestinians’ cars in Bayt Hanina. (MNA, WAFA 4/5; PCHR 4/12)

A Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained when the IDF violently dispersed peaceful protesters along Gaza’s border on 3/30, bringing the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 18. (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 4/5)

Ahead of massive protests planned for 4/6, Hamas announces plans to distribute payments of approximately $3,000 to the families of any protesters killed by IDF troops in the Great March of Return, and approximately $500 to the families of any protester seriously injured. The payments are meant “as compensation within the framework of the social and national responsibility of the organization,” according to a Hamas statement. Later, Hamas’s security forces issue a statement calling on protesters to “maintain the peacefulness” of the demonstrations. (JP, TOI, YA 4/5; JP 4/6)