GAZA, Palestine, March 31 (NNN-MENA) – Islamic Hamas politburo chief, Ismail Haniyeh, and a senior Egyptian security intelligence delegation, visited the area of the eastern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel, to observe the implementation of an Egyptian-brokered calm understanding, security sources said.
They said, the Egyptian delegation, which has been in the Gaza Strip since Thursday, headed to eastern Gaza city together with Haniyeh, “to follow up and observe the situation on the border, as part of their mission to reinforce the calm agreement reached between the Palestinian factions and Israel.”
Eyewitnesses said, dozens of police and security officers were deployed at main streets’ crossroads, mainly the roads that lead to eastern Gaza Strip areas, to manage traffic and back the demonstrators, who join the one-year anniversary of the Great March of Return.
Eyewitnesses also said that members of the High Commission of the Great March of Return, wearing orange jackets were seen moving among the masses of demonstrators in eastern Gaza Strip, trying to keep the crowds away from the fence of the border with Israel.
On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators marched towards the eastern area of the Gaza Strip, close to the fence of the border with Israel, to mark one year of the start of the Great March of Return and also the 43rd anniversary of the Palestinian “Land Day.”
Clashes broke out between hundreds of demonstrators and Israeli soldiers stationed on the border, said eyewitnesses, adding that, the soldiers fired tear gas and live gunfire at the demonstrators to keep them away from approaching the fence.
Medical sources said that several young men were shot and wounded by gunfire in the clashes, adding that the injured were taken to hospitals for medical treatment.
The International Committee of the Red Cross and other international organisations expressed hope that the protests in eastern Gaza would be peaceful without casualties among Gaza Strip’s civilians, mainly among children.
A general strike dominated the Gaza Strip, while the ministries of health and interior, which are run by the Hamas movement, declared a state of emergency.
The official government and private sector’s institutions closed on Saturday, including schools, universities and stores all over the Gaza Strip, except medical institutions, clinics and hospitals.– NNN-MENA
