Gazans undertake “Palestinian workers’ Friday”

Palestine

Published: 2018-05-04 12:27

Last Updated: 2024-03-26 13:01


Demonstrations near the Gaza borders
Demonstrations near the Gaza borders

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are headed for the sixth Friday in a row of protests as part on the “Great Return March” near the borders with Israel for the sixth week in row.

This week, in light of the recently observed Labour Day, the protest is named “Workers’ Friday” and aims to draw attention to the harsh conditions workers in Gaza face.

The area close to the border fence has already attracted large crowds, but official ceremonies are expected to start in the afternoon.

Since the beginning of the demonstrations, which started on March 30 on Palestinian Land Day, protestors have marched under a different slogan each week with the hope to shed light on a different plight of the Palestinian people or commemorate victims.

Last week the protest organizers called it the "Friday of Rebellious Youth,” highlighting the young age of the victims killed by Israeli fire during the marches. The previous week “prisoners and martyrs” were the reason behind the sit-ins.

During the second week Palestinians burned tyres with the hopes to block the vision of Israeli snipers who were shooting live bullets at youth and media personnel without provocation.
Since the beginning of the Great Return March, Israeli forces have killed more than 44 Palestinians, and injured thousands.

The demonstrations are are expected to continue until the Palestinian Nakba anniversary on May 15, and in addition to asserting Palestinians’ right to return to their homeland, they protest the US decision to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem, thus recognizing it as an Israeli capital.

Since Hamas took over the coastal enclave in 2007, Israel has waged three military offensives against Gaza, leaving thousands killed, injured, and internally displaced.