Number of Palestinian protesters killed has risen to 18

Gaza's Health Ministry says the number of Palestinian protesters killed by Israeli army fire near the Gaza border has risen to 18.

The rising death toll is bound to overshadow the festive inauguration of a US Embassy in contested Jerusalem later Monday.

Palestinians say the embassy opening is a show of blatant pro-Israel bias by the Trump administration.

Israel says it has the right to defend its border and that it will block a border breach at any cost.