Gaza City - Israel deployed several thousand troops along the border, with the anniversary coming at a sensitive time ahead of its April 9 elections.
Published: Sun 31 Mar 2019, 12:00 AM
Updated: Mon 1 Apr 2019, 8:22 AM
Tens of thousands of Gazans gathered at the Israeli border on Saturday to mark a year since protests and clashes erupted there, but fears of mass bloodshed were averted after late Egyptian-led negotiations.
Israel deployed several thousand troops along the border, with the anniversary coming at a sensitive time ahead of its April 9 elections.
Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, one during an overnight demonstration and a 17-year-old in clashes later on Saturday, the Health Ministry in Gaza City said. Another 207 Gazans were wounded.
But fears of a repeat of similar protests and clashes to those that saw more than 60 Palestinians killed on May 14, when the United States transferred its Israel embassy to occupied Jerusalem, did not materialise.
Egypt tried to mediate between Israel and Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas to rein in violence.
Hamas officials said on Friday an understanding had been reached that would see Israel ease its crippling blockade of Gaza in exchange for the protests remaining calm.
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