The EU’s diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini called Saturday for an independent investigation into the use of live ammunition by Zionist soldiers against Gazans which left 16 Palestinians dead.

“The EU mourns the loss of life. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims,” Mogherini said in a statement a day after the clashes, which also left hundreds wounded.

“The use of live ammunition should, in particular, be part of an independent and transparent investigation,” she said.

“Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are fundamental rights that must be respected,” added Mogherini, a former Italian foreign minister who speaks on behalf of the European Union’s 28 member states.

Friday’s major protest – the conflict’s worst single day of violence since the 2014 Gaza war – saw demonstrators including women and children gather at multiple sites throughout the blockaded territory, which is flanked by Israeli occupation troops along its eastern and northern borders.

Source: Reuters