As Palestinians observed a general strike to protest the occupation and continued Israeli bombing of blocked enclaves, shops in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and between villages and towns in Israel were closed.

The strike was supported by the Gaza Group’s Hamas and the Palestinian Authority’s ruling party Fatah, which led to the suspension of all economic activities and the closure of educational institutions.

Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim said: “This is the first time in decades that we have seen Palestinians who have crossed the political divide participate in this kind of strike.”

Since Israel’s attack on Gaza on May 10, at least 212 Palestinians have been killed, including 61 children, and another 1,500 have been injured. The Israeli rocket attack in Gaza also killed ten people, including two children.

Hamas said it launched rockets in retaliation for plans to forcibly expel Palestinians from occupied East Jerusalem and Israel’s attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Since last week, Israeli forces have also killed at least 21 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.