Hamas Gaza Protest Fizzles

Plans by Hamas to form a dramatic human chain of 50,000 people extending almost 30 miles along the border of the Gaza Strip fizzled on Monday when fewer than 5,000 Gazans turned up to participate. The event was intended to protest what the Palestinians claim is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by Israel‘s closure of crossing points to Egypt and Israel. Many of those who showed up were young school children or university students. The poor turnout ended Israeli concerns that demonstrators would try to push through the border en masse. More than 6,000 police and soldiers lined the Israeli side of the border, reportedly with orders to shoot at the demonstrators’ legs if a push did materialize. Eleven Qassam rockets were launched at Israel on Monday, as if to underline the ineffectiveness of Israel‘s closing of Gaza.