Five Palestinians died in a deadly blast close to the Gaza border wall

The funerals have taken place for five Palestinians who were killed in an explosion near the boundary wall with Israel in Gaza. Two rallies were happening at the time of the blast, with hundreds of people in attendance. The Israeli military claimed that the incident was caused by rioters attempting to launch an explosive device at their soldiers. However, a Palestinian security source stated that the explosion happened when young men were trying to throw a homemade device commonly used to create a distracting loud sound. According to Palestinian medics, over 20 people were injured in the explosion. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that protesters had previously thrown explosives and grenades at their soldiers. The IDF released a video showing the explosion near a concrete wall that surrounds Gaza, with a small group of people fleeing from the scene. Conversely, a Palestinian video demonstrated a larger group of young men close to the Israeli barrier when a powerful explosion occurs, apparently killing some of the protesters. Notably, no Israeli forces were visible in the video. A witness named Saif Muhareb mentioned that he was among a group of approximately 50 people when the explosion happened. He described finding a black object resembling a camera, which measured 10cm wide and 50cm long. When someone touched it, it exploded. Tensions in the area have been escalating recently after a period of relative calm. From 2018 to 2019, there were mass protests known as the Great March of Return. During these demonstrations, Israeli snipers opened fire at protesters, resulting in the deaths of more than 300 Palestinians and injuries to thousands of others, as reported by the Palestinian health ministry. The Israeli military justified their actions by claiming they were shooting at individuals attempting to infiltrate their territory. One of the Wednesday demonstrations was organized by Palestinian political factions, including the militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza. It marked the anniversary of Israel's unilateral withdrawal from the strip in 2005. The other rally was held to show support for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. On Thursday morning, mourners gathered at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to carry 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. Despite the heartbreak, he expressed pride in his son's sacrifice for the homeland.