Israel uses drones to drop tear gas on Gazans for first time

Israeli occupying forces used unmanned drones to drop tear gas on Palestinians in Gaza for the first time last Friday, according to the Times of Israel.

Some 200 Gazans had gathered at the border fence with Israel as part of a weekly protest against the ten-year blockade when an unmanned aerial vehicle approached the scene. Footage from the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen news agency shows the drone dropping canisters of tear gas on the protesters who can then be seen running blindly from the scene.

The Gazan Health Ministry said that at least two people were wounded in the clashes, with at least eight other Gazans injured by Israeli fire during protests elsewhere in the coastal enclave.

According to military sources, the usage of drones to fire tear gas is still experimental and has not yet been made operational.

Read: Hamas: Gaza is sitting on top of a volcano

Gaza has seen several clashes since the announcement of US President Donald Trump recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, with protests planned every week. Last month, two Palestinian teens were killed after being shot with live ammunition as they approached the perimeter fence, reportedly in search of work in Israel.

Gaza has been facing a mounting humanitarian emergency for many months, confronted with an energy, water and healthcare crisis. Residents have also been prevented from leaving the Strip, forcing a young Gazan girl to travel without either of her parents to the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday in order to have a kidney transplant last month.

A recent report also found that more than 1,000 Palestinians have died as a result of the ongoing 11-year Israeli siege imposed on the besieged enclave.

#GazaSiege

Coordinator of charities Ahmed Al-Kurd said that “450 of the victims died due to the fallout of the healthcare system and the lack of medicines, medical equipment and treatment transfers.”

“Today, we launch a resounding scream to the world: save Gaza from these disastrous conditions,” Al-Kurd said, asking: “How long will you wait and how many more victims do you want in order to take action?”

Read: Trump envoy blames Hamas for Gaza ‘disaster’, whitewashes Israel blockade