As it happened: At least 58 Palestinians killed and thousands injured by Israeli forces amid protests at US embassy in Jerusalem
As Israeli and American officials celebrated the change, thousands of Palestinian protesters were wounded or killed by Israeli bullets
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.At least 58 Palestinians were killed and more than 2,000 people wounded in protests at the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, according to Palestinian officials, on the same day the US fulfiled its controversial promise to move its embassy to the contested city of Jerusalem.
Thousands of demonstrators set fire to tyres on Monday, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air to deter Israeli snipers. The Israeli military said the protests were being used as cover for attacks on soldiers.
It marked the deadliest single day of protests in a weeks-long campaign from Hamas in the run up to the US embassy move and the Nakba, or ‘Catastrophe’, on Tuesday - celebrated in Israel as the country’s 70th birthday.
The order given to Israeli soldiers was to prevent Palestinians from crossing into Israel at any price, including direct live fire. Israel has also warned Hamas that any mass breakthrough will result in airstrikes on the group’s infrastructure inside the Strip - with a number of targets hit by Israeli forces by the afternoon.
Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load
Hamas, the militant group that rules the Strip, had urged supporters to break through the 11-year-old Israel blockade, which has left Gaza "uninhabitable".
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the actions of the Israeli forces as a "genocide" and Israel as a "terrorist state".
"No matter from what side, whether from the United States or Israel, I curse this humanitarian plight, this genocide," he said.
Kuwait has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council amid international outcry over the clashes.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's top aides and supporters on Monday celebrated the opening of the new US Embassy in Jerusalem as a campaign promised fulfilled.
Mr Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, along with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, led the US delegation with a single message: Only Trump had the courage to act on what America has wanted for a long time.
“While presidents before him have backed down from their pledge to move the American Embassy once they were in office, this president delivered. Because when President Trump makes a promise, he keeps it,” Mr Kushner said in his speech.
In a recorded message played at the ceremony, Mr Trump said the embassy move was a "long time coming" but he remained committed to peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
“Our greatest hope is for peace,” said Trump, whose recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and relocation of the embassy to the holy city from Tel Aviv, has outraged Palestinians and drawn international concern.
“The United States remains fully committed to facilitating a lasting peace agreement,” Mr Trump said. “The United States will always be a great friend of Israel and a partner in the cause of freedom and peace.”
The relocation of the embassy from Tel Aviv has infuriated the Palestinians, who seek east Jerusalem as a future capital.
White House denounces Hamas after killing of Palestinian protesters by Israeli troops. 'Israel has the right to defend itself,' White House official tells Reuters.
“There is no justification for the recklessness and cynicism Hamas has shown in urging people to engage in violence that exposes them to terrible risk. As the Secretary of State has said, Israel has a right to defend itself.”
Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah tells reporters in DC: "I think we, for decades, walked on egg shells pretending Jerusalem isn't the capital of Israel when it obviously is."
On the killing of protesters, Mr Shah says: "The responsibility for these deaths rest solely on Hamas. As the secretary of state said, Israel has a right to defend it self”!
Mr Shah dodges the question when asked if was appropriate for Pastor Robert Jeffress, somebody who has said Jews and Muslims are going to hell, delivered prayer at embassy opening. "I have not seen those comments."
Mr Shah repeatedly refusing to condemn Israel's action and blames Hamas instead. He calls Hamas's actions a "gruesome" propaganda attack.
Israel says South Africa has recalled its ambassador following the shooting deaths of at least 55 protesters along the Gaza border, according to the AP
Thousands have reportedly gathered in Istanbul to condemn the US decision to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem, burning American and Israeli flags, and protesting deadly clashes along the Israeli-Palestinian border.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian leadership say that they plan on filing a war crimes complain against Israel with the International Criminal Court (ICC) amid the deadly protests in which 55 people have been shot by Israeli security forces, according to the Associated Press.
Saeb Erekat, a Palestinian diplomat, says the decision was made Monday and that they plan on signing the ICC referral "immediately".
Seeking a war crimes prosecution against Israel would mark a sharp deterioration in relations between the two sides.
President Recep Erdogan of Turkey has called the violence in Gaza that has left dozens of Palestinian protesters dead "genocide", according to AFP.
"No matter from what side, whether from the United States or Israel, I curse this humanitarian plight, this genocide," Mr Erdogan said.
Turkish media have also reported that Turkey is recalling its ambassadors to Israel and the United States.