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Israel wants March of Return to stop in return for easing Gaza siege

March 29, 2019 at 11:22 am

Israeli forces fire tear gas at unarmed Palestinians as they took part in the Great March of Return protests in the Gaza Strip on 7 September 2018 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Israel has offered a package of moves that would ease the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip in return for stopping the Great March of Return, local media reported.

Israel’s Ynet News site said the Egyptian security delegation presented the Israeli proposal to Hamas and representatives of other Palestinian factions. It included increasing the number of goods trucks entering the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom (Karm Abu Salem) crossing and raising the UN temporary employment project to 40,000 people.

According to the news site, Tel Aviv has also proposed expanding the fishing area off the coast of Gaza to 12 nautical miles, developing the power lines from Israel to Gaza, increasing the facilities for exports and imports and allowing the introduction of some dual-use material to the besieged enclave.

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The Israeli site pointed out that the Egyptian security delegation “will return to Israel today [Thursday] with the Palestinian factions’ response to the proposal”, stressing that all concessions made by Israel depend on what happens on Saturday.

Palestinians are expected to hold a Million Man March in the besieged Gaza Strip to mark the anniversary of the start of the Great March of Return which has seen over 250 Palestinian killed.

In preparation for the peaceful protest, Israel has sent reinforcements to the Gaza fence.

In a report released earlier this year, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) said Israel deliberately targeted children and journalists during peaceful protests in Gaza, putting it in breach of international law.

Palestinians along the Gaza-Israel border reaffirm the ‘Right of Return’ and get shot by IOF - Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]

Palestinians along the Gaza-Israel border reaffirm the ‘Right of Return’ and get shot by IOF – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]