37 Palestinians Killed In Gaza Protests Ahead Of U.S. Embassy Opening
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By: Abeer Salman and James Masters, CNN
(CNN) -- Thirty-seven Palestinians were killed during protests in Gaza on Monday, hours before the new U.S. embassy was due to officially open in Jerusalem, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced.
The first victim to be named was Anas Hamdan Qdeih, a 21-year-old, who was shot dead east of Khan Younis, according to the Ministry, on a day of mass demonstrations along the Gaza border.
The Ministry said more than 500 had suffered injuries.
The Israeli army air-dropped leaflets over Gaza warning people not to approach the fence that separates Gaza from Israel.
More than 50 people have been shot and killed by Israeli soldiers since the latest wave of protests began in March, according to a CNN count based on the Palestinian Ministry of Health figures.
Demonstrators say they want to highlight their right to return to homes lost by their ancestors during the war that accompanied the founding of the state of Israel in 1948.
Israel says the demonstrations are orchestrated by Hamas, the militant group that runs Gaza.
The-CNN-Wire
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