Tens of thousands of Palestinians rally in the Gaza Strip - CBS News

Gaza City, Gaza Strip -- Tens of thousands of Palestinians rallied in the Gaza Strip Saturday to mark the first anniversary of their mass protests along the Israeli border, as the territory's Hamas leaders largely restrained the crowds ahead of a hoped-for cease-fire deal. 

Demonstrators largely kept their distance from the border, though small crowds of activists approached the perimeter fence and threw stones and explosives toward Israeli troops on the other side. The forces responded with tear gas and opened fire, killing two Palestinians and wounding 64. 

In many ways, Saturday is a test, CBS News' Seth Doane reported. The Israelis do not want to see violence escalate, particularly about a week before a key national election. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking his fourth consecutive term in April 9 elections, but is facing a serious challenge from a group of ex-army chiefs who have criticized what they say is his failed Gaza policy. In the final stretch of the campaign, Netanyahu needs to keep the Israel-Gaza frontier quiet, without seeming to make concessions to Hamas. Netanyahu took heavy criticism this week for what was seen as a soft response to renewed rocket fire out of Gaza. 

Hamas, meanwhile, faces growing unrest in Gaza as a result of worsening conditions after more than a decade of Israeli and Egyptian border closures. Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, is behind Saturday's protests, even bringing participants in by bus but also encouraging them to keep calm. 

Protesters are crying out against what they call the siege of Gaza. Israel has sealed off the narrow Gaza Strip due to security concerns, which affects nearly every aspect of life here, from food to electricity to the ability to freely come and go. About half of Gazans are unemployed.

A Palestinian boy reacts to tear gas fired by Israeli forces during a protest at the Israel-Gaza border fence east of Gaza City March 30, 2019. MOHAMMED SALEM/REUTERS

Egyptian negotiators have been in Gaza this week trying to broker a deal that would offer to Palestinians better electricity, expanded fishing zones, fuel for power stations and foreign financial aid. In exchange, Israel is demanding Saturday's protests be non-violent and that Palestinians stop firing rockets into Israel. 

Tensions increased this week after Palestinians fired a rocket into central Israel, striking a house and wounding seven. Israel pounded back with airstrikes.

Palestinians gather as tear gas is fired by Israeli forces during a protest at the Israel-Gaza border fence east of Gaza City March 30, 2019. MOHAMMED SALEM/REUTERS

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gaza-protests-palestinians-mark-one-year-of-weekly-protests-today-2019-03-30/

2019-03-30 17:27:00Z
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Man rushes car carrying Moroccan king during motorcade with Pope Francis - Fox News

Guards intercepted a man as he ran toward a car carrying the king of Morocco in a motorcade during the Pope’s visit to Rabat, the capital of the North African country.

Moroccan king Mohammed VI was waving to a large crowd as he stood in the car with much of his body visible when the man dashed toward him. It appears from a video that the man was carrying a piece of paper or envelope in an outstretched hand.

Security guards running alongside the vehicles stopped the man and took him away from the motorcade. Neither the king nor the pope was harmed.

POPE FRANCIS ISSUES NEW LAW REQUIRING VATICAN OFFICIALS TO REPORT SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS 'WITHOUT DELAY'

Pope Francis and King Mohammed VI rode in a motorcade to formally welcome the pontiff in Rabat, Morocco, Saturday, March 30, 2019. Francis's weekend trip to Morocco aims to highlight the North African nation's Christian-Muslim ties while giving him an opportunity to show solidarity with migrants at Europe's door and tend to a local Catholic flock. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (AP)

Pope Francis was riding parallel to the king about 30 yards away in his famous bulletproof white vehicle. The man did not approach him.

The incident occurred just after the Pope arrived on Sunday, as he was heading to a welcome ceremony at the Hassan Tower Complex.

The fate of the man who ran toward the king was not immediatley known.

Pope Francis is using his trip to Morocco to strengthen relations between Christians and Muslims there. On Friday, he tweeted about the need for respect and peace between both religious groups.

Francis took advantage of a speech in Morocco to explain that physical barriers won’t solve migration issues, and emphasize the need for social justice and rebalancing the world's wealth, according to the Washinton Post.

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2019-03-30 17:33:08Z
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Thousands protest on anniversary of Gaza march: Latest updates - CNN

Within the space of an hour the protest, which at its height numbered around 40,000, dropped to some 20,000. By 6 p.m. local time -- and an hour before it was officially due to finish -- there were just a few stragglers left milling around the border fence.

As the much-anticipated demonstrations, which saw so much bloodshed last year, came to an end, Hamas hailed the "Great March of Return" movement and said it had "achieved some of its goals."

Hamas officials are welcomed at the protest in Gaza.

Hamas officials are welcomed at the protest in Gaza.Hamas.

Compared to so many previous occasions, Saturday’s protests were largely peaceful, with one person killed and 207 injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health – much lower numbers than we have seen in the past.

Politburo member Khalil Al-Hayya said in a statement that he expected on Sunday to learn details of a timetable by which Israel would ease restrictions on Gaza. This would be part of ongoing Egyptian-led mediation efforts to achieve a long-term ceasefire understanding between Israel and Hamas.

Indeed a senior UN official speaking to CNN said Saturday’s protests were being seen as a test for Hamas.

“Some kind of deal is being tested today: Hamas’s intentions and ability to control things,” the official said. He suggested that if Hamas succeeded in stopping the demonstration from turning violent, and keeping provocations against Israeli forces to a minimum, then the understandings reached between Israel and Hamas could move forward.

But he warned that elements of any deal might not start to materialize until after the Israeli elections on April 9.

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https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/gaza-protests-intl/index.html

2019-03-30 17:08:00Z
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Thousands protest on anniversary of Gaza march: Latest updates - CNN

Hamas crowd control marshals in Jabalya.

Hamas crowd control marshals in Jabalya.Michael Holmes/CNN

Hamas crowd control marshals -- decked out in distinctive orange vests -- have gathered at the border fence, reports CNN's Michael Holmes from Jabalya in Gaza.

With an hour before the protests officially start, already hundreds of demonstrators have gathered at the border.

Hamas says it wants the protests to remain peaceful, amid ongoing Egyptian-led mediation efforts to bring about a long-term ceasefire between the militant group and Israel, and the guards in orange vests have been tasked with stopping demonstrators from moving towards the fence.

Demonstrators gather on the Israel-Gaza border Saturday.

Demonstrators gather on the Israel-Gaza border Saturday.Ibrahim Dahman/CNN

That said, at least a dozen protesters have already approached the fence and Israelis have fired shots and tear gas. But as Holmes reported, it's not quite going to plan:

"It's a windy day and the gas is actually blowing back to the Israeli side -- which will work against effectiveness.

"Rain showers are also becoming more frequent, which could possibly keep things more muted."

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https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/gaza-protests-intl/index.html

2019-03-30 14:31:00Z
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Thousands protest on anniversary of Gaza march: Latest updates - CNN

Hamas crowd control marshals in Jabalya.

Hamas crowd control marshals in Jabalya.Michael Holmes/CNN

Hamas crowd control marshals -- decked out in distinctive orange vests -- have gathered at the border fence, reports CNN's Michael Holmes from Jabalya in Gaza.

With an hour before the protests officially start, already hundreds of demonstrators have gathered at the border.

Hamas says it wants the protests to remain peaceful, amid ongoing Egyptian-led mediation efforts to bring about a long-term ceasefire between the militant group and Israel, and the guards in orange vests have been tasked with stopping demonstrators from moving towards the fence.

Demonstrators gather on the Israel-Gaza border Saturday.

Demonstrators gather on the Israel-Gaza border Saturday.Ibrahim Dahman/CNN

That said, at least a dozen protesters have already approached the fence and Israelis have fired shots and tear gas. But as Holmes reported, it's not quite going to plan:

"It's a windy day and the gas is actually blowing back to the Israeli side -- which will work against effectiveness.

"Rain showers are also becoming more frequent, which could possibly keep things more muted."

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https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/gaza-protests-intl/index.html

2019-03-30 14:21:27Z
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Thousands protest on anniversary of Gaza march: Latest updates - CNN

Hamas crowd control marshals in Jabalya.

Hamas crowd control marshals in Jabalya.Michael Holmes/CNN

Hamas crowd control marshals -- decked out in distinctive orange vests -- have gathered at the border fence, reports CNN's Michael Holmes from Jabalya in Gaza.

With an hour before the protests officially start, already hundreds of demonstrators have gathered at the border.

Hamas says it wants the protests to remain peaceful, amid ongoing Egyptian-led mediation efforts to bring about a long-term ceasefire between the militant group and Israel, and the guards in orange vests have been tasked with stopping demonstrators from moving towards the fence.

Demonstrators gather on the Israel-Gaza border Saturday.

Demonstrators gather on the Israel-Gaza border Saturday.Ibrahim Dahman/CNN

That said, at least a dozen protesters have already approached the fence and Israelis have fired shots and tear gas. But as Holmes reported, it's not quite going to plan:

"It's a windy day and the gas is actually blowing back to the Israeli side -- which will work against effectiveness.

"Rain showers are also becoming more frequent, which could possibly keep things more muted."

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https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/gaza-protests-intl/index.html

2019-03-30 14:03:28Z
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Thousands protest on anniversary of Gaza march: Latest updates - CNN

Hamas crowd control marshals in Jabalya.

Hamas crowd control marshals in Jabalya.Michael Holmes/CNN

Hamas crowd control marshals -- decked out in distinctive orange vests -- have gathered at the border fence, reports CNN's Michael Holmes from Jabalya in Gaza.

With an hour before the protests officially start, already hundreds of demonstrators have gathered at the border.

Hamas says it wants the protests to remain peaceful, amid ongoing Egyptian-led mediation efforts to bring about a long-term ceasefire between the militant group and Israel, and the guards in orange vests have been tasked with stopping demonstrators from moving towards the fence.

Demonstrators gather on the Israel-Gaza border Saturday.

Demonstrators gather on the Israel-Gaza border Saturday.Ibrahim Dahman/CNN

That said, at least a dozen protesters have already approached the fence and Israelis have fired shots and tear gas. But as Holmes reported, it's not quite going to plan:

"It's a windy day and the gas is actually blowing back to the Israeli side -- which will work against effectiveness.

"Rain showers are also becoming more frequent, which could possibly keep things more muted."

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/gaza-protests-intl/index.html

2019-03-30 13:22:01Z
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