The Higher National Committee (HNC), which represents several Gaza-based political groups and civil society organizations, announced on Thursday that the Great March of Return protests will no longer be held weekly, but once a month, according to Reuters.
RT PalestineChron "Great March of Return is #Palestinians’ Cry for Justice https://t.co/4q48f2U4xg via PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/mu35Bb1x3Q"
— Richard Hardigan (@RichardHardigan) April 7, 2019
HNC is the committee responsible for organizing the Great March of Return, a popular mobilization effort that was launched in the besieged Gaza Strip in March 2018. The protests have championed two major demands: lifting the siege on Gaza and implementing the right of return for Palestinian refugees.
100 #Palestinians were injured by Israeli snipers in the Great March of Return yesterday. This week's protest was held in support of Al-Aqsa (Photos by Abdallah Aljamal, the Palestine Chronicle) pic.twitter.com/nwsjumjp66
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) August 24, 2019
Since it began, Palestinians have held weekly demonstrations at the fence separating the besieged Gaza Strip from Israel, with a few exceptions, especially last November when Israel launched deadly strikes on the Strip, killing 34 and wounding dozens more.
It’s still unclear why the organizing committee has decided to scale back on the protests.
Israeli air strikes on Gaza last Thursday killed 34 Palestinians, among them were eight people from the same family. TRT World met with the Sawraka family to hear their story pic.twitter.com/E4Hjq1PuK1
— TRT World (@trtworld) November 19, 2019
According to the Gaza’s Ministry of Health, more than 300 people have been killed by the Israeli army at the fence and over 10,000 wounded, including children, medics and journalists.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
Once a month is more manageable. This battle is not going to be won by fierce coercion. It will only be won with ideas, with politics. I’m hoping to see placards about liberty and justice for all.