GAZA CITY, Palestine
Hundreds of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip flocked to Israeli security fence on Friday to participate in the 78th consecutive Friday of weekly anti-occupation protests known as the Great March of Return.
Protestors from across the Gaza Strip headed to the eastern areas of the coastal enclave raising Palestine’s flag.
The Higher National Commission of the Great March of Return and Breaking of the Gaza Siege, formed by Palestinian factions, named this Friday’s rallies “Our children are falling as martyrs,” and said that Israel is “responsible for childhood abuse and violations of children’s rights”.
Since the Gaza rallies began in March last year, nearly 270 protestors have been martyred — and thousands more wounded — by Israeli forces at the security fence areas with Gaza.
Demonstrators demand an end to Israel’s 12-year-old blockade to the Gaza Strip, which has shattered the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its two million inhabitants of free movement in and out from Gaza and prevented many basic amenities.
*Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara
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