Five Palestinians in Gaza killed in ‘accidental’ explosion during border protest

A Palestinian protester throws a tear gas canister back at Israeli troops on the eastern border of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. EPA

Five Palestinians were killed on Wednesday at the Israel-Gaza border by an explosive device that appeared to have been detonated accidentally, Palestinian officials have said, as protests along the volatile frontier intensify after months of relative quiet.

The blast took place as dozens of Gaza youths held a protest in support of Palestinians jailed in Israel.

An umbrella group of Palestinian factions said the explosion was caused by a device some of the protesters had planned to use during the rally.

Five people were killed, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

The Israeli military said the protesters had tried to throw it at its soldiers across the border.

Manwhile, the Supreme National Committee for Palestinian Prisoners said on Wednesday it would suspend a plans for a hunger strike in Israeli prisons, which was scheduled to begin on Thursday.

“We took the decision after the prison administration retracted its decisions against the prisoners to reduce the visits of the prisoners’ families to their children in the prison,” the committee said.

Demonstrators stand next to mock coffins symbolising Palestinian prisoners who died in Israeli jails, during a protest in front of the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza. AP

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir recently restricted family visits for prisoners to once every two months, from the current practice of once a month.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on Israel to respect the rights of Palestinian prisoners in accordance with international law.

“Under international humanitarian law, Palestinian detainees are protected persons and have a right to family contact. This includes family visits while in detention,” the ICRC said.