Gazans stage general strike ahead of Nakba rallies

By Nour Abu Aisha

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – The Gaza Strip witnessed a general strike on Monday as Palestinians are preparing to stage major rallies to commemorate the Nakba anniversary and protest relocating the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The strike included shops and government and private institutions across the Palestinian territory.

Since March 30, thousands of Palestinians have been staging rallies along Gaza Strip’s eastern border demanding Palestinians' return to their homes in historical Palestine where they were driven out in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.

The rallies will culminate on Tuesday, May 15, the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment -- an event Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" or "the Catastrophe".

Since the rallies began, at least 49 Palestinian demonstrators have been killed and hundreds injured, according to Health Ministry figures.

Last week, the Israeli government said that rallies are a part of state of war and human rights laws are not applicable in such case.