Representatives from the U.S., including President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka, celebrated the opening of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem on Monday. That move was met with protests at the Palestine-Israel border in Gaza, and Israeli forces opened fire on thousands amassed there.
According to the Washington Post, the Gaza Health Ministry said 41 people were killed and over 1,600 wounded.
Though the protests were supposed to be peaceful, there were reports organizers urged protesters to break through a fence separating the countries.
At a gathering point east of Gaza City, organizers urged demonstrators to burst through the fence, telling them Israeli soldiers were fleeing their positions, even as they were reinforcing them.
At the barrier, young men threw stones and tried to launch kites carrying flames in hopes of burning crops on the other side. Most of the demonstrators, though, were peaceful, protesting the loss of their homes and villages and the embassy move.
The decision by Trump to move the embassy—a long-stated goal of U.S. foreign policy—has been met with outrage across the world in the months since it was announced.
Palestinians have been protesting at the fence in Gaza over the past month as part of the “March of Return.” In that time, Israel forces have killed approximately 50 Palestinians and wounded over 2,400.
On Twitter, President Trump praised the embassy opening.
Big day for Israel. Congratulations!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 14, 2018
H/T the Washington Post