Massive march in Gaza calmer than expected despite 4 deaths
The recently held "million-man return march" was relatively calm in Gaza after Egyptian peace negotiators called on Palestinian factions to maintain calm, as Israel pledged in exchange not to shoot at demonstrators.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Four Palestinians were killed and 300 wounded during the "million-man return march" held March 30 in Gaza, yet even with those statistics, the event was considered relatively calm, against all odds and expectations.
Tens of thousands of people participated in the event marking the first anniversary of the start of the Great Return March, which was called for by the Higher National Commission for the Great Return March and Breaking of the Siege. According to Israeli estimates, more than 40,000 demonstrators took part in the march.
The relative calm came after a delegation of Egyptian negotiators stressed March 29 to Hamas the need to maintain calm during the march, amid Israeli pledges not to shoot at demonstrators and to ease the siege on the Gaza Strip based on a specific timetable.
The commission had instructed participants in the march not to resort to violence or approach the border fence.
