'The world sleeps as Gaza dies'

Demonstrators spoke to MEE today about their motivations for coming out to protest despite the dangers after 10 long weeks.

“We want our right of return, we want our right to our country, we want the right to Jerusalem,” a young protester, his face wrapped in a kuffiyeh, summarised. “All of us here are united as one, and we will return to our country.”

“Jerusalem is the Palestinian capital, not the Israeli or American one,” he added, rebuking the move of the US embassy to Israel to Jerusalem last month, on the bloodiest day of the Great March of Return.

Many expressed frustration at the international community's perceived indifference to their plight in the coastal enclave, which has been under a stringent Israeli-led and Egypt-enforced blockade since 2007.

"We don’t have electricity or water or salaries," a female demonstrator said. "The world is in a deep sleep while the people of Gaza are dying."

Protester Saleh Nasser Abu Ras directed his ire squarely at Arab nations, accusing them of standing by idly while offering only words of condemnation.

“I want to send a message to the Arab world: Enough is enough. People and children are dying because we are defending our land,” he exclaimed. “We have small children here who are braver than the Arab governments.”