Palestinians in Gaza prepare for marches after recent escalation with Israel

The Palestinians are preparing Friday to march towards the borders between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel as part of the rallies and protests they have been organizing since March 30, known as “the Great March of Return.”

It is the 10th Friday since March 30. The organizers called it “the Friday from Gaza to Haifa” to express solidarity with Israeli-Arabs in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, who demonstrated last week in support for Gaza and the mass protests.

The rallies came after this week’s military escalation between the Israeli army and Hamas-led militant groups in the coastal enclave.

Palestinian political factions, including Hamas movement, called on the participants to keep their rallies and protests peaceful “until it achieves its goals of lifting 11 years of Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip.”

Khalil al-Hayyah, deputy Hamas chief in Gaza, said in a statement that the marches will go on until all the goals are achieved, adding “armed resistance will remain the protector of the popular peaceful protests.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli army announced Friday that it enhanced its military forces along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip and warned the Palestinians against approaching the fence of the border.

This week, Egypt mediated a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas-led military groups in the Gaza Strip following a series of attack exchanges.

On Tuesday, Israel was reportedly hit by rockets fired from Gaza. In retaliation, the Israeli army struck dozens of military facilities that belong to Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the coastal enclave.

Israel has been imposing a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip after the Hamas movement had violently seized control of Gaza and routed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ security forces in the summer of 2007.

The endless Israeli blockade has been the motive for launching the mass protests on March 30, while doctors said that the Israeli army had shot dead 118 Palestinian protesters and wounded thousands of others.