Palestinians practise parkour on Gaza-Israel border

AFP  |  Rafah (Palestinian Territories) 

Palestinian experts have performed a special show on the Israeli-border, close to a site where mass protests and deadly clashes have occurred since late March.

Dozens of Gazans last evening watched four members of a team flip and twist their way around the site of the camp of what Palestinians have dubbed the Great March of Return.

Israeli soldiers in military observation towers or behind sand barriers surveyed the scene, with the performance several hundred metres from the border fence in Rafah in southern

"We came here in the camp of return in Rafah to show our parkour," said 27-year-old "This is our message to the world that we will return to our country and practise our sport there." Mohammed abu Jihad, another of the performers, said "we don't have anything to resist with except "

Gazans have set up tents in five main areas along the border for the Great March of Return, which is calling for Palestinian refugees to be able to return to their former homes which are now inside

Mass protests peaking on Fridays have led to clashes in which Israeli forces have killed 31 Palestinians. No Israelis have been hurt.

The protests are expected to continue until mid-May, when US plans to move the US embassy in from to Jerusalem, a move that has deeply angered the Palestinians.

Muammar admitted the conservative culture of Gaza, which is run by Islamist movement Hamas, meant practising was not always easy.

"There are many difficulties," he said.

"Some people prevent us from practising in parks and on streets of the city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Wed, April 11 2018. 13:25 IST