A Palestinian martyred as Great March of Return protests begin

According to medical sources in the besieged Gaza Strip, Israeli regime forces shot dead a Palestinian man and injured 10 others today when mass protests began on the besieged Gaza borders with Israeli regime to mark the anniversary of the deadly Great March of Return last year.

Tehran-based English news channel Press TV reported that Mohammed Saad, 20, died after being hit in the head with shrapnel caused by Israeli army fire east of Gaza City, the besieged enclave's health ministry said.

According to Aljazeera English, Gaza's fence with Israel has for the past year been the scene of mass protests and major bloodshed in which more than 260 Palestinians were killed, mostly by Israeli sniper fire, and nearly 7,000 shot and wounded, according to Gaza's health ministry.

Press TV also said that the rallies have been held every week since March 30 last year. Palestinians want an end to the Israeli occupation of their lands. They also demand the return of the Palestinian refugees to their homeland.

On the eve of the protests, Israeli soldiers and tanks were deployed near the fence separating the occupied territories from the besieged Gaza Strip.

Gaza medical officials, according to Press TV, said that Israeli troops shot and wounded 10 Palestinians on the Gaza fence on the day.

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