West Bank stages general strike over Gaza martyrs

RAMALLAH  – Palestinians in the occupied West Bank staged a general strike on Tuesday in mourning of dozens of fellow Palestinians martyred by Israeli gunfire during anti-occupation rallies in the Gaza Strip.

The strike includes shops, universities, schools and businesses across the occupied territory.

At least 59 Palestinians were martyred and hundreds more injured by Israeli forces along the Gaza border Monday amid protests marking the Nakba anniversary and the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

On Monday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced a 3-day mourning period over the Gaza deaths.

Monday’s protests were part of weeks-long rallies that will culminate on Tuesday, which marks the 70th anniversary of Israel’s creation, an event Palestinians refer to as the “Nakba” or “the Catastrophe”.

Since the rallies began on March 30, more than 90 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds injured by cross-border Israeli gunfire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Last week, the Israeli government said the ongoing border protests constituted a "state of war" in which international humanitarian law did not apply.