Alwaght- Israeli regime forces have shot dead three Palestinians and injured more than 200 others in the besieged Gaza Strip during mass protests marking the anniversary of the Great March of Return and the Palestinian Land Day.
According to reports, Israeli regime forces on Saturday used live rounds, rubber bullets and tear gas on the protesters, at a protest site east of Gaza city, and wounding at least 59 people, according to Gaza's health ministry.
In a statement, the ministry said Nidal Saqr, 17, Jihad Saad and Tamr Hashim Abu Hayr lost their lives east of Gaza City, while another 316 demonstrators were injured -- including 64 by live ammunition.
The ministry said 14 of the injured protesters were in a serious condition.
Israeli forces have also fired tear gases at protesters, who are marking the first anniversary of the Great March of Return protests.
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.
The reinforcements were deployed on Friday morning. Gaza medical officials said later in the day that Israeli troops shot and wounded 10 Palestinians on the Gaza fence on the day.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened on Thursday that Tel Aviv would wage a broad military campaign on Gaza if needed, after a two-day flare-up of fighting that left several people injured on both sides.
Israeli troops have killed nearly 260 Palestinians since the beginning of the "Great March of Return" protests, and wounded 26,000 others, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Palestinians are demanding the right to return to lands from which their families were violently expelled during the establishment of the usurper Israeli regime in 1948. They are also calling for an end to Israeli regime's and Egypt's 12-year blockade of Gaza.
