Gaza City, April 13 (RHC)-- Clashes have broken out as thousands of Palestinians gather at the Gaza border fence for another mass demonstration against Israeli occupation for the third consecutive week, defying the regime’s military presence there.  AFP reported clashes between stone-throwing protesters and Israeli troops at two locations. 

Thousands are participating in the third Friday of the March of Return Rallies, which first began on March 30th.  Large groups of people gathered at the fence separating Gaza from the Israeli-occupied territories.  As this Friday’s protest, demonstrators burned Israeli flags and hoisted Palestinian flags along the Gaza border. 

Initial reports Friday evening say that at least 700 Palestinians were injured when Israeli forces fired live bullets and tear gas at the demonstrators.  Gaza's Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said hundreds of people, including medical staff and journalists, were injured due to inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli troops. 

More than 30 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the first two weeks of the rallies.  In the latest fatalities, two Palestinian were on Thursday killed by Israeli forces, one was shot in the chest during a protest rally in Khuza’a, near the town of Khan Younis, and the other one was hit by an Israeli air raid.