Palestinian dies of wounds from Israeli fire in Gaza

A Palestinian on Monday succumbed to wounds he sustained from Israeli fire during anti-occupation protests in the Gaza Strip, according to the Health Ministry.

Karam Ibrahim Arafat from the eastern city of Khan Younis was shot and injured during a protest near Gaza Strip’s eastern border three weeks ago, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said in a statement.

“He was martyred of his wounds today,” he said.

Earlier Monday, a Palestinian minor was martyred during clashes with Israeli forces in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Since March, more than 140 Palestinians have been martyred -- and thousands more injured -- by Israeli army gunfire during protests in the Gaza Strip.

Protesters demand the “right of return” to their homes and villages in historical Palestine, from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.

They also demand an end to Israel’s 11-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its roughly 2 million inhabitants of many basic commodities.