GAZA CITY — A Palestinian wounded last month during clashes on the Israel-Gaza border succumbed to his wounds on Monday, the health ministry in the Palestinian enclave said.

A spokesman for the ministry said in a statement «Bissam Safi, 22, died this morning».

He said he had been hit in the head with a tear gas canister on Feb. 22 during protests and clashes near Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. For nearly a year protesters have been gathering along the border calling for Palestinian refugees and their descendants to be allowed to return to former homes now inside Israel.

Israeli officials say that amounts to calling for the Jewish state›s destruction and accuse the Gaza Strip›s Islamist rulers Hamas of orchestrating the protests.

At least 254 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began in March 2018, the majority shot during weekly border protests and clashes.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period.

Israel and Hamas, which has controlled the blockaded Gaza Strip for over a decade, have fought three wars since 2008.

Meanwhile, the Israeli municipality ordered 2 Palestinian families to demolish their own homes on Saturday — one in the Jabal Al-Mukabbir neighborhood, and the other in Silwan neighborhood, both in occupied East Jerusalem.

Ali Jaabis, one of the 8 members of the Palestinian family, from Jabal Al-Mukabbir described Israel’s threats of fines, and demolition costs if they did not raze it themselves. — Agencies