Clashes erupt as Gazans march near Israel border

Clashes erupted as thousands of Gazans marched near the Israeli border in a major protest on Friday, with five Palestinians killed and more than 50 wounded.

Some Gazans estimated the total number of protesters in the tens of thousands, including women and children.

They gathered at multiple sites throughout the blockaded territory, which is flanked by Israel along its eastern and northern borders, AFP correspondents said.

Smaller numbers approached within a few hundreds meters (yards) of the heavily fortified border fence, with Israeli troops using tear gas and live fire to force them back.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported 201 people wounded from live fire, while the health ministry in the Gaza Strip said four people were killed during the clashes.

Israel’s military said, “17,000 Palestinians are rioting in five locations along the Gaza Strip security fence.

“The rioters are rolling burning tires and hurling firebombs and rocks at the security fence and at [Israeli] troops, who are responding with riot dispersal means and firing towards main instigators.”

The Israeli military said the tank fire came after “two suspects approached the security fence... and began operating suspiciously.”

Protesters were demanding hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees who fled or were expelled during the war surrounding Israel’s creation in 1948 be allowed to return.