31 Palestinians martyred in Gaza protests: Ministry

By Hedaya al-Saeidi

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – At least 31 Palestinians have been martyred and 2,850 others injured by Israeli gunfire in anti-occupation rallies on border of the Gaza Strip since last week, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In a statement on Saturday, the ministry said 79 injured Palestinians were in a serious condition.

According to the ministry, Israel is still holding the bodies of two martyred Palestinians since last week.

Thousands of Palestinians have been staging demonstrations on Gaza Strip’s eastern border with Israel against the decade-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands since last week.

The rallies are part of a six-week demonstration that will culminate on May 15, which will mark the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment -- an event Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" or "Catastrophe".

Demonstrators demand that Palestinian refugees be granted the "right of return" to their towns and villages in historical Palestine, from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.