GAZA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Gaza's Health Ministry said on Friday that four Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire during the anti-Israeli massive rallies staged by thousands along Gaza-Israel borders.
The ministry's spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra said three were killed during the protests near the borders and identified as Mohammed al-Najjar, Mahmoud Abu Moammar and Mohammed Abu Omar.
The fourth was a Palestinian farmer who was killed by an Israeli tank shell in his farm in Khan Younis.
Al-Qedra added that 150 protesters were also injured during the rally.
Since early Friday hours, thousands of Palestinians flocked to sit-in near the border fence between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, amid Israeli readiness to foil any border infiltration attempts.
The Israeli army declared a status of alert and deployed large forces along the borderline area.
The Palestinian rally, dubbed the "Great March of Return," will last until May 15, which coincides with Israel's Independence Day and the Palestinian Day of "the Nakba," or the catastrophe, when thousands of Palestinians were expelled from their towns and cities that later became Israeli territories.
The demonstrators would stay 700 meters away from the border with Israel from northern to southern Gaza Strip, said the rally organizers.
They stressed that the march is peaceful and aims at sending a message to the world that the Palestinians have legitimate rights, mainly the right of return for Palestinian refugees.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees are expected to participate in the rally to demand their return to their home they were forced to leave during the Arab-Israeli war in 1948.
