Fresh protests erupt along Gaza border for 3rd week

Thousands of Palestinians protested along Gaza's border with Israel on Friday as part of the so-called Great March of Return demonstration for the third consecutive week.

Witnesses told Efe news that at least four Palestinians were injured during morning clashes after the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) fired at dozens of protesters who were reportedly setting Israeli flags ablaze and approaching the fenced border at the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

"IDF troops are responding with riot dispersal means and are firing in accordance with the rules of engagement. It won't allow any harm to security infrastructure & will act against the violent rioters & terrorists," IDF said in a post to Twitter.

After the noon prayer, thousands of Palestinians marched to five protest camps near the Gaza-Israel border fence.

Salah Abdel Aty, one of the rally organisers, said that this Friday's protests were focusing on a demonstration involving Israeli flags.

Large Israeli flags were placed at the entrance of the protest camps and Palestinians stomped on them.

Thousands of Palestinian protesters have been marching along the border on Fridays since March 30, calling for the right of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to return to their homelands.

Since the beginning of the Great March of Return, riots have been taking place near the Gaza-Israeli border, to which the Israeli Army, reportedly, responded with crowd control and live ammunition.

--IANS

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