File Photo: Palestinian protesters run to take cover from tear gas canisters fired by Israeli troops during clashes on the Gaza-Israel border, east of Gaza City, on Aug. 10, 2018. (Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A UN humanitarian official on Friday asked for restraint in Gaza to avoid further deterioration of the situation on the eve of the first anniversary of the start of mass demonstrations by Palestinians, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

In the past year, there has been a staggering loss of life and injury in the "Great March of Return" demonstrations. Between March 30, 2018, and March 22, 2019, 195 Palestinians, including some 40 children, have been killed by Israeli security forces in demonstrations, mainly during the weekly protests near the border fence, OCHA quoted Jamie McGoldrick, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, as saying.

Nearly 29,000 Palestinians have been injured in this context, with more than 7,000 of them wounded by live ammunition. One member of the Israeli security forces was killed and six others were injured, said OCHA.

McGoldrick said that the priority now is to save lives and everyone needs to take action accordingly. He said that Israeli security forces must ensure that their responses are in line with their international legal obligations, using non-violent means to the greatest extent possible.

Hamas authorities, he said, must prevent acts of violence that compromise the peaceful nature of the demonstrations and everyone must ensure that children are not put in harm's way.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also very worried about the situation in Gaza, said Farhan Haq, Guterres' deputy spokesman. The UN chief hopes that violence will be avoided and that no more victims will be added to this tragic story, the spokesman told a daily press briefing on Friday.