Trump ‘Jerusalem Move’: Israel Bombs Gaza, Kills Two in Day of Rage Protests

Israeli aircrafts on Friday night launched a bombing campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip, injuring 25 people, including six children. According to Israeli defence sources, the air raid was in ‘response’ to the rocket attack towards Israel from Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, huge protests - as part of the Day of Rage - have erupted across the occupied Palestine territory, after the US President Donald Trump announced the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

In a move, that international community warned would destabilise the region, Trump on Wednesday announced the shifting of US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Jerusalem's status is an extremely sensitive part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and no country currently has its embassy in the city.

Israel occupied the East Jerusalem in the 1967 Arab-Israel war, and since then it had been expanding its illegal settlements in the area in contravention of the Geneva Conventions. The Palestinian group Hamas has given the call for ‘new intifada’ in response to the ‘Jerusalem move’ by the US.

In and around the Old City of Jerusalem, protests began after the noon prayers on Friday.

According to reports, Red Crescent said that so far, they had attended to at least 767 injuries in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip. Israeli forces deployed tear gas and rubber bullets against the protestors in the occupied West Bank cities of Hebron and Bethlehem.

نصرة للقدس المحتلة..مواجهات عنيفة عقب مسيرات غضب انطلقت في شوارع مدينة الخليل اليوم.#القدس_عاصمتنا
تصوير:بلال الطويل pic.twitter.com/4ObSXQ2qX0

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) December 8, 2017

Two protestors, as per the reports have been killed after being shot at by the Israeli forces in Gaza and West Bank.

According to reports, in parts of the Old City, Israeli forces assaulted shopkeepers and used force to disperse Palestinians.

Watch the moment Israeli forces attacked Palestinian protesters in Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/zsxOE8N300

— TRT World (@trtworld) December 8, 2017

Eight journalists were also injured by the Israeli forces. An Israeli police officer was seen assaulting cameraman Rajai al-Khatib outside the Damascus Gate to Jerusalem’s Old City on Friday.

On Friday, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held an emergency meeting with all of the body’s 15 members – except for the United States – rejecting the Trump administration’s move to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. This decision by Trump, according to political experts will effectively put an end to the two-state solution.

Meanwhile, thousands across the world marched in solidarity rallies in support of Palestine, denouncing Trump’s decision.