96 Palestinians wounded by live, rubber bullets

At least 96 Palestinians have been wounded by live rounds or rubber-coated steel bullets in clashes with Israeli forces and settlers since Saturday evening, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

Dr. Abed Rabbo Manasra told the Palestinian website, Ma'an late on Sunday that 28 Palestinians had been shot with live rounds, while at least 68 were hit with rubber-coated steel bullets.

The 96 were among at least 220 Palestinians to have been injured during the clashes, Manasra said, with others suffering excessive tear gas inhalation or beatings by soldiers or settlers.

The Palestinian Red Crescent earlier on Sunday declared a state of emergency across the occupied Palestinian territory following an upsurge in violence by Israeli soldiers and settlers, including 14 attacks on its own ambulance crews.

The society said in a statement that it was putting all its staff, teams and volunteers on standby, as it decried Israeli violations of international humanitarian law.

The statement listed 14 attacks on Red Crescent staff and vehicles in a 72-hour period, in what it described as "a serious escalation of violations against PRCS, its teams and the humanitarian services they render."

The Palestine Red Crescent Society, which is a full member of the International Movement of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, called on the international community to take the "necessary steps" to make Israel comply with international law.