Thousands of Palestinians demonstrate along Israel-Gaza border fence

World Today

Thousands of Palestinians demonstrate along Israel-Gaza border fence

At least four Palestinians were killed and at least 200 were injured, as thousands of Palestinians marched to the eastern Gaza-Israel borders in commemoration of Land Day and the first anniversary of The Great March of Return protests.

CGTN’s Noor Harazeen reports from Gaza.

Thousands of Palestinian protestors poured into areas along the Israel -Gaza eastern border fence in commemoration of Land Day and the one year anniversary of the Great March of Return on Saturday as the National Committee for Breaking the Siege called for a million-person march in Gaza.

Tent camps were set up some 900 meters (985 yards) away from the Israeli frontier to host the protestors who arrived from across the Gaza Strip. At the same time the National Committee for Breaking the Siege deployed hundreds of volunteers to help maintain the safety of protesters.

Although organizers had called for peaceful protests, Israel doubled its forces, deploying snipers, special units and drones, and threatened that it would act violently to prevent any breach of its border.

More than 200 were reported injured. According to the ministry, the injured included protestors hit by live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, and tear gas canisters.

The Great March of Return began on March 30th, 2018 with Gazans demanding their right of return as refugees to their original homelands, now in present-day Israel.

Middle East Analyst Wardah Khalid comments on demonstrations in Gaza