• Thousands march in protest of six Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Nablus on Tuesday.
• Protests also take place in the governorates of Rafah, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City.
• General strike called by Palestinian factions to mourn the dead was observed across the region.

In protest of the six Palestinians who were killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus early on Tuesday, thousands of Palestinians have marched to the streets throughout the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday, protests took place throughout the beleaguered Palestinian territory, notably in the governorates of Rafah, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City. In observance of a general strike called by Palestinian factions to mourn the dead, among whom were two unarmed barbers, government and commercial offices were shuttered.

Following the killings, there were sizable protests at the same time in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The funerals for those killed on Tuesday in Nablus drew thousands of Palestinians.

The “crime of the occupation” was denounced by protesters in Gaza’s public squares, who also urged the Palestinian resistance to act.

Senior Hamas official Ismail Radwan told Al Jazeera that the Israeli occupation has broken all boundaries by killing the Nablus martyrs.

The blood of the heroes of Nablus will not go to waste and will be used as fuel against the occupation, he said, adding that “the Israeli occupation will take full responsibility for its crimes against our people, our sanctuaries, and the victims of our people.”

Against the Palestinian people, “the crimes of the Israeli occupation,” Radwan denounced the silence of the international community.

Due to nearly daily Israeli incursions, tensions have been high in the occupied West Bank for the past few months. According to the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli forces have killed 184 Palestinians since the beginning of the year, including 51 in Gaza. In attacks carried out by Palestinians over the previous month, at least three Israeli troops have died.

A key figure in the Islamic Jihad movement, Khader Habib, denounced the most recent killings in Nablus, where anti-Israeli resistance organisations have sprouted up.

He told Al Jazeera that “national and Islamic groups are in a continuous meeting to follow up on the developments in Nablus and the West Bank, and we’ll take the appropriate steps to help our people there.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Palestinian youngsters lit tires on fire close to the barrier Israel built to separate itself from Gaza. Palestinian flags were raised in support of the people of Nablus as dark clouds shrouded the sky.

As Israeli soldiers stayed stationed behind military vehicles, some people launched stones at the separation fence.

Due to Israel’s air, sea, and land siege of Gaza, which has two million residents, it has been nicknamed an open-air jail since 2007.

Ibrahim Abu Ahmed, 30, claimed he participated in the demonstrations at the fence to voice his opposition to what is taking place in Nablus. “We are one people, and we will not allow Nablus to be cut off from the rest of the Palestinian territory by the Israeli occupation.”

He referred to the Lions’ Den group, whose members have attacked Israeli forces, saying, “We call upon our brothers in the Lions’ Den and tell them we are with you. And we demand all our brothers in the West Bank to unite around the resistance. And we tell the occupation that Nablus is not alone.”

Ibrahim urged friendly nations and human rights organizations to act in response to the situation in the occupied West Bank.

He remarked, “Enough with the international community’s silence on the Israeli occupation.

[embedpost slug=”amnesty-international-demands-for-a-probe-into-potential-war-crimes-in-gaza”]