Hamas: Gaza protests restrained to test diplomacy

The militant group Hamas says protests along the Gaza-Israel border fence have been scaled down to give diplomatic efforts a chance.

Only a few thousand Palestinians rallied at the frontier on Friday. Israeli gunfire wounded seven protesters, health officials said — the lowest casualty figures reported since the weekly demonstrations began in March.

Khalil al-Hayya, a Hamas official, says his Islamic group is “testing” Egyptian-led efforts to broker a cease-fire to ease an 11-year-old blockade on Gaza.

Fiercer protests will resume if the blockade remains in place, al-Hayya warned.

Israel and Egypt largely sealed their borders with Gaza after Hamas seized control in 2007, citing security concerns.

More than 160 Palestinians have been killed in the demonstrations. A Palestinian sniper also shot dead an Israeli soldier in July.