Israeli troops wounded nearly 50 Palestinians at the Gaza border on Wednesday during protests to mark the 71st anniversary of the “Nakba”, or catastrophe, when many Palestinians lost their homes in the fighting around Israel’s creation, Gaza officials said.
Thousands had gathered at the coastal enclave’s frontier with Israel, the scene of bloodshed over the past year.
Groups approached the border fence, planting Palestinian flags and throwing stones towards Israeli soldiers on the other side despite the efforts of marshalls in orange vests to keep protesters away from the barrier, witnesses said.
Israeli troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets to repel them, but also live ammunition, the witnesses said.