95 Palestinians injured in clahses with Israeli soldiers

Palestinian protesters run to take cover from tear gas canisters fired by Israeli troops during clashes near the border between the northern Gaza Strip and Israel, on Sept. 17, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

At least 95 Palestinians were wounded on Monday evening in their clashes with Israeli soldiers on the border between the northern Gaza Strip and Israel, the Gaza health ministry said.

Of the 95 injured, 26 were shot by live gunshots, while others suffered suffocation after inhaling tear gas, Ashraf al-Qedra, the ministry spokesman, told reporters.

The protests in northern Gaza were organized by the Gaza-based highest commission of the March of Return to defy the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian coastal enclave.

The demonstrators threw stones and burned tires close to the border fence, while Israeli soldiers used tear gas and live gunshots as reponses.

According to health ministry in Gaza, Israeli forces have killed at least 177 Palestinians, and injured 19,000 others since March 30, the first day of the ongoing Palestinian "Great March of Return" rally against Israel's 12-year crippling blockade and the U.S. embassy move to the disputed holy city of Jerusalem.

Efforts exerted by Egypt and UN Special Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov have so far failed to broker a cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Hamas-led militant groups in the Gaza Strip.