Palestinian dies of wounds; Gaza death toll rises to 21

A Palestinian in the Gaza Strip has succumbed to injuries sustained one week earlier, bringing the total number of Palestinians recently killed by Israeli army gunfire near the Gaza-Israel border to 21, the Palestinian Health Ministry announced Friday.

"Thaer Mohamed Rabaa, 30, who was injured earlier east of the town of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, died today of his wounds," ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said in a statement.

Rabaa was reportedly injured last Friday by cross-border Israeli army gunfire.

The latest fatality brings the number of Gazans killed by Israeli gunfire amid ongoing Palestinian rallies along the Gaza Strip's eastern border with Israel -- which kicked off last Friday -- to 21.

Over the same period, more than 1,500 Palestinians have been injured, according to the Health Ministry.

Palestinians in Gaza are holding a six-week-long demonstration along the border that will culminate on May 15. That day will mark the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment -- an event Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" or "Catastrophe".

Demonstrators demand that Palestinian refugees be granted the "right of return" to their towns and villages in historical Palestine, from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.

The Israeli army, meanwhile, has deployed thousands of troops along the border and has vowed to use live ammunition against anyone who threatens "Israeli security infrastructure".