Israeli troops fired live rounds and tear gas at Palestinians who thronged the Gaza border on Friday as part of a long-running protest, injuring about 1,100 people.
Medics said around 82 people were shot and wounded with live fire, another 800 treated for gas inhalation and the rest for other injuries along the Gaza side of the 25-mile border fence, where Palestinians set up tent encampments on March 30 for what they call “The Great March of Return”, Reuters reported.
Youths rolled burning tires to within 300 meters of the fence, trying to use the smoke as cover for eluding Israeli snipers. Army gunfire has killed at least 43 Palestinians on the frontier over the last month. Israeli regime has faced international censure over its use of live fire in the protests.
Two-thirds of the two million Palestinians in Gaza are war refugees or their descendants. The protests have seen thousands gather—in greater numbers on Fridays—to demand access to their families’ lost homes or lands.
“If it wasn’t for the occupation we would have lived as free as people like in other countries,” Ahmed, 24, said at a protest site east of Gaza City.
