Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Palestinians protest on Gaza border June 8 /update 10

Event

Palestinians continue to hold weekly Friday protests on the Gaza border. On June 8, over 4000 Palestinians gathered on the border, burning tires and throwing rocks at Israeli security forces. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers responded by firing tear gas and live ammunition to disperse the crowd. According to Palestinian health officials, at least one person was killed and over 100 were wounded, mostly from gas inhalation. Additional related demonstrations, as well as potentially deadly clashes between protesters and IDF troops, are expected along the Israel-Gaza border in the coming weeks.

Context

A spike in tensions and cross-border incidents has been observed in Israel and the Palestinian Territories in the wake of US President Donald Trump's December 2017 announcement that the US would officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital - a departure from the previous US and international position of neutrality on the status of the city claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians - and would move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The new embassy was officially opened on May 14.

Advice

Individuals present in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to avoid all protests or other public gatherings due to the high risk of violence and to monitor developments to the situation. Due to the underlying terrorist threat, travelers in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities. Some Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.