UN calls on Israel to rein in security forces at Gaza border

A Palestinian protects himself from inhaling tear gas at the Israel-Gaza border during a protest demanding the right to return to their homeland, in the southern Gaza Strip

The United Nations human rights office urged Israel on Friday to ensure that its security forces do not use excessive force against Palestinian protesters at the Gaza-Israel border.

Firearms should only be used as a last resort, and unjustified recourse to their use may amount to wilful killing of civilians, a breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention, U.N. human rights spokeswoman Elizabeth Throssell told a briefing.

A Palestinian died on Friday of wounds suffered a week ago during protests against Israel along the enclave’s border, health ministry officials said. That raised to 20 the death toll in confrontations with Israeli soldiers that began on March 30