EREZ CROSSING, Gaza: Five thousand protesters in the Gaza Strip marched to the border fence with Israel on Monday, demonstrating against the embargo imposed by Israel since the Islamic militant group Hamas took over Gaza last June.
The Israeli Army had bolstered its forces on the Israeli side of the border, and there were concerns in Israel that many Gaza residents might try to break through the fence, as they breached the border with Egypt last month.
The protesters formed human chains in some places along the border, and schoolchildren were brought in by buses for the demonstrations. But the number of protesters was fewer than had been expected. They approached the Erez crossing at the border but were stopped by Hamas police officers. They did not try to approach the border fence in other areas.
After the peaceful protest ended, a group of Palestinians rioted at the Erez crossing, …