Hamas to Demonstrate Near Gaza-Israel Borders on Thursday

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Monday called on the Palestinians in Gaza Strip to organize a massive popular demonstration on Thursday near the border between northern Gaza Strip and Israel.

"Hamas movement calls on the Palestinian people to head for the crossing point of Erez on Thursday as an escalation step to defy the blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip." the group said in a statement.

Hamas movement took control of the Gaza Strip and routed moderate President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces last June. Since then, Israel has been imposing a tight blockade on the enclave.

"The protest at Erez crossing will be a strong message to the Zionist enemy that we can never accept this suffocating blockade and the slow death," said Ashraf Abu Dayya, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza.