Palestinians Mark Nakba Day, or 'Day of the Catastrophe' Wednesday May 15,2019

Nakba Day, or 'Day of the Catastrophe', is marked on Wednesday May 15 to commemorate the expulsion of more than 700,000 Palestinians from their land in the war that led to the establishment of Israel in 1948

Thousands gathered on Wednesday near the Israeli separation fence in eastern Gaza, the scene of weekly demonstrations over the past year

Thousands of Palestinians rallied on Wednesday May15,2019 to mark Nakba Day, what Palestinians call "the catastrophe" that befell them in the war that led to the establishment of Israel in 194

8.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes.

For more than a year, Palestinians in Gaza have been holding weekly protests along the fence, calling for the right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants to the territory, as well as for an end to a 12-year blockade imposed by Israel.

At least 47 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli soldiers during Wednesday's protests, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Witnesses said the soldiers fired live ammunition, tear gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets to disperse protesters near the Israeli separation fence in eastern Gaza

Palestinian demonstrators run for cover from tear gas canisters fired by Israeli forces during a protest near the separation fence, east of Gaza City. Mohammed Salem/Reuters