Funeral ceremonies have been held for the five Palestinians who lost their lives in an explosion near the boundary wall with Israel in Gaza.
The incident occurred during two rallies that attracted hundreds of participants on Wednesday evening.
The Israeli military has stated that it was “an attempt by rioters to launch an explosive device” towards its soldiers. In contrast, a Palestinian security source informed the BBC that a homemade device, typically used to create a loud, disturbing noise, exploded as young men attempted to throw it.
According to Palestinian medics, over 20 individuals sustained injuries as a result of the blast. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that protesters had previously thrown explosives and grenades at its soldiers.
The IDF released a grainy black and white video capturing the explosion near a concrete wall surrounding Gaza.
The video shows a small group of people fleeing the scene. In a graphic Palestinian video obtained by the BBC, a significant number of young men were in close proximity to the Israeli barrier when a powerful explosion occurred, seemingly resulting in casualties among the protesters.
Notably, no Israeli forces were visible in the vicinity.
Witness Saif Muhareb, who was part of a group of around 50 people, described the situation. “We found a black object that looked like a camera – 10cm wide and 50cm long. I was towards the back when someone touched it, and it exploded.”
This incident follows a recent escalation of tensions in the area, which had experienced a period of relative calm.
Between 2018 and 2019, the Great March of Return saw mass protests, during which Israeli snipers opened fire on demonstrators.
The Palestinian health ministry reported that more than 300 Palestinians were killed, and thousands were injured, while the Israeli military claimed to be targeting those attempting to infiltrate its territory.
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One of the demonstrations held on Wednesday marked the anniversary of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, organized by Palestinian political factions, including the militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza.
The other rally aimed to express support for Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails.
On Thursday morning, a small gathering of mourners gathered at Shifa Hospital in the heart of Gaza City to transport the bodies of those killed in the explosion.
Among them was Wael al-Zard, a local Hamas leader and preacher at the Grand Mosque, who lost his 18-year-old son, Baraa.
Speaking about his son, Wael al-Zard said, “My heart is sad, and my eyes shed tears over the loss of my son, the joy of my heart. But we say, thanks to God, I’m pleased to be the father of a martyr who sacrificed himself for the sake of his homeland. He made me hold my head high.”
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