Gaza border erupts: 13,000 rioters, 3 deaths reported; Israel strikes Hamas positions

The Palestinians continued to stage violent riots along Gaza’s border with Israel, throwing Molotov cocktails, rocks, and at least two grenades at IDF forces.

By: Benjamin Kerstein, The Algemeiner

Violence erupted on Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip over the weekend, with over 13,000 rioters in six locations along the border fence and a Palestinian claim of three fatalities.

Israel’s crowd-control measures were backed up with tank fire and air strikes against Hamas targets in the Strip.

According to Israel’s Channel Two, the rioters threw Molotov cocktails, rocks, and at least two grenades at Israeli forces. An IDF officer was lightly wounded by shrapnel from a pipe bomb.

Israel responded to the grenade attacks with tank fire and air strikes.

“The Hamas terrorist group is responsible for everything that happens in and from the Gaza Strip,” an IDF spokesperson said. “Hamas continues to try to harm our defense infrastructure and the security forces along the security fence by using the Gaza Strip’s civilians as a shield … for terror activities.”

In addition, the IDF identified nine infiltrators who breached the fence and then made a hasty retreat back into Gaza. An improvised explosive device was found and defused.

The use of arson terror continued, with two fires being set by incendiary balloons in nearby communities. The fires were quickly brought under control.

Palestinian sources claimed that three rioters aged between 14 and 30 were killed.