Update: Clashes with Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza wound 50 demonstrators

GAZA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Clashes broke out Friday afternoon between dozens of Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza Strip on the fifth Friday of a six-week protest, known as "the Great March of Return," eyewitnesses said.

Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the health ministry in Gaza told reporters that at least 50 demonstrators were injured, 18 with live ammunition and the rest are those who inhaled tear gas and were treated in the field by the health ministry paramedics.

The witnesses said clashes erupted after Friday prayers and that the soldiers fired dozens of tear gas canisters to disperse the demonstrators who burned tires to make shields of black smoke that would protect them from the fire of Israeli snipers.

The clashes broke out after demonstrators walked closer to the fence of the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel, where dozens of Israeli soldiers and snipers were seen at the other side of the border into Israel.

The witnesses said that demonstrators threw stones at the Israeli army forces, where soldiers fired back tear gas and rubber-coated metal bullets. Paramedics are present in the area with ambulances and first medical aid.

Meanwhile, teenagers and youths flew kites carrying flaming pieces of clothes near the border aiming at keeping it flying and falling on Israeli agricultural fields, while dozens of young men set fire to dozens of tires and others cut and pulled parts the barbed wire of the fence of the border.

Earlier Friday, thousands of Palestinians were preparing to join the 5th Friday of rallies called "the Great Marches of Return." Organizers of the rallies announced that this Friday was called "Friday of angry youths."

The rallies, which have been going on since March 30 and will last until May 15, are held in five different areas in eastern Gaza Strip, several hundred meters far from the fence of the border with Israel.

Over the past four Fridays, 42 Palestinians killed and around 5,000 injured; many with live ammunition. The health ministry in Gaza said 40 killed are registered in the records and two corpses are held by the Israeli army.

The health ministry in Gaza announced in a press statement that it sent its medical crews and teams of rescue to the areas in eastern Gaza Strip in case of emergency and more casualties during the protests.

Hamas activists called on the populations Friday morning throughout mosques loudspeakers to join the rallies and the symbolic funeral of Fadi al Batsh, a Hamas scientist who was killed in Malaysia by unknown militants last Saturday.

The Israeli army meanwhile announced Friday that it sent more forces to the border area to prevent any attempt of cutting the fence and infiltrating into Israel.

Witnesses said that masked young men Friday morning managed to cut through the fence of the border east of Jabalia town in northern Gaza Strip. Enditem