55 Palestinians killed in bloody day of clashes in eastern Gaza

GAZA - A daylong of violent confrontations between hundreds of Palestinian protestors and Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel left at least 55 Palestinians killed and 2,771 injured, said medical sources.

Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the health ministry in Gaza, told reporters that Israeli army soldiers have shot dead 55 Palestinians and wounded 2,771 others, the bloodiest day since the end of the Israeli large-scale offensive waged on the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2014.

He said that seven of the killed Palestinians on Monday are children, adding that 54 injured are in very critical condition.

"Some 1,204 were injured by live ammunition, 13 by rubber-coated metal bullets, 133 by bullets shrapnel and 837 suffered tear gas suffocation," said al-Qedra, who accused the Israeli army of committing a massacre against "defenseless people."

A general strike dominated the Gaza Strip on Monday, involving schools, universities, banks and stores, and streets were empty of traffic and pedestrians.

Tires were burned at crossroads of main streets against celebrating moving the US embassy to Jerusalem.

Buses and trucks were collecting people from the streets and neighborhoods and near the mosques, while loudspeakers of mosques called on people to join the one-million-Palestinian march. Vehicles took hundreds of participants to the areas in eastern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel.

The Popular Front to Liberate Palestine leader Jamil Mizher told reporters "Today our people are heading to eastern Gaza Strip areas to change the history and record a significant point in their history and their struggle."

"Our people are going out to say no to all conspiracies that target our Palestinian cause, the right of return and Jerusalem. These conspiracies won't pass and our people insist on grabbing their legitimate rights from the enemy and achieve the return, the freedom and the independence," he said.

Head of International Committee of Red Cross sub-delegation in Gaza, Gilan Devorn, had earlier on Monday called for avoiding losses and casualties among Palestinians joining mass protests against Israel in eastern Gaza Strip.