Palestinian Factions Say to Scale Back Protests on Israel-Gaza Border

In this Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 file photo, A Palestinian protester hurls stones at Israeli troops during a protest at the Gaza Strip's border with Israel, Organizers of the weekly Palestinian demonstrations along the Gaza Strip's frontier with Israel say they will significantly scale down the gatherings in 2020. AP
In this Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 file photo, A Palestinian protester hurls stones at Israeli troops during a protest at the Gaza Strip's border with Israel, Organizers of the weekly Palestinian demonstrations along the Gaza Strip's frontier with Israel say they will significantly scale down the gatherings in 2020. AP
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Palestinian Factions Say to Scale Back Protests on Israel-Gaza Border

In this Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 file photo, A Palestinian protester hurls stones at Israeli troops during a protest at the Gaza Strip's border with Israel, Organizers of the weekly Palestinian demonstrations along the Gaza Strip's frontier with Israel say they will significantly scale down the gatherings in 2020. AP
In this Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 file photo, A Palestinian protester hurls stones at Israeli troops during a protest at the Gaza Strip's border with Israel, Organizers of the weekly Palestinian demonstrations along the Gaza Strip's frontier with Israel say they will significantly scale down the gatherings in 2020. AP

Palestinians in Gaza will scale back protests along the border with Israel, factions in the strip said on Thursday.

For nearly 20 months, Palestinians have held weekly demonstrations dubbed the "Great March of Return", which have often turned violent as people throw rocks and firebombs at Israeli troops who respond by shooting with live fire, Reuters reported.

Gaza medical officials say 214 Palestinians have been killed since the Friday protests began in March 2018.

However, the protests have tapered off in recent months.

The Higher National Committee, a collection of Gaza-based factions and civil society organizations which organize the protests, said there will be a protest this Friday but that demonstrations thereafter would be held monthly and on national occasions.

The protesters have called for an end to a security blockade imposed on Gaza by Israel and for Palestinians to have the right to return to land from which their families fled or were forced to flee during Israel’s 1948 founding.

Israel rejects any such return, saying that would eliminate its Jewish majority.

Israel seized Gaza in a 1967 war and pulled out its settlers and troops in 2005.



Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Israel Nearly Killed 2 of its Hostages in Gaza

Smoke rises after an explosion in the northern Gaza Strip, ahead of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, January 16, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Smoke rises after an explosion in the northern Gaza Strip, ahead of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, January 16, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
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Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Israel Nearly Killed 2 of its Hostages in Gaza

Smoke rises after an explosion in the northern Gaza Strip, ahead of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, January 16, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Smoke rises after an explosion in the northern Gaza Strip, ahead of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, January 16, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Israel nearly killed two of its captives held by Hamas in an airstrike on Gaza City, Palestinian sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on Thursday.

The sources, which are from resistance factions, said that the two captives were injured as a result of the Israeli bombardment targeting a house in one of Gaza City's neighborhoods. The sources refused to disclose the conditions of the captives, the severity of their injuries, or their identities.

However, the sources indicated that the hostages received the necessary treatment and were moved to a safe location after the Israeli airstrike.

A truce in the Gaza Strip, announced by mediators Qatar and the United States on Wednesday, would take effect on Sunday and involve the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, after which the terms of a permanent end to the war would be finalized.

Hamas confirmed on Thursday that Israel targeted a site where a hostage was located. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said that an Israeli airstrike targeted a location where a female hostage was present after the ceasefire agreement was announced.

The spokesperson for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades did not reveal details about the fate of the captive after the airstrike.

"The enemy’s military targeted a place where one of the female captives included in the first stage of the upcoming deal was located," he said.

"Any aggression or bombing at this stage by the enemy can turn a prisoner’s freedom into a tragedy," the spokesperson added.