At least 52 Palestinians were killed on Monday in Gaza and more than 2400 others wounded as the Israeli army fired live ammunition, tear gas and firebombs at protesters assembled along several points near the fence with Israel.

The demonstrations, which coincided with protests against the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem, are part of a weeks-long protest calling for the right of return for Palestinian refugees to the areas they were forcibly expelled from in 1948.

Since the protests began on March 30, Israeli forces have killed at least 90 Palestinians in the coastal enclave and wounded close to 10,500 people.

The protest comes ahead of the annual commemorations of the Nakba, or "catastrophe", when the state of Israel was established on May 15, 1948, in a violent campaign that led to the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their villages.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Authority's UN ambassador, has condemned Israeli strikes on unarmed Palestinians in Gaza.

Speaking at a press conference in New York, Mansour described America's decision to open its embassy in Jerusalem as "very tragic."

"We will use all of our available rights in the security council to see it shouldering its responsibility to condemn this massacre and bring those responsible to justice," said Mansour.

"Very tragic that they (America) are celebrating illegal action while Israel is injuring and killing thousands of Palestinians."

"Tragic day for Palestinians and shame on those who ignore the pain and suffering of the Palestinian people."

Calls for blood donations

The Palestinian Ministry of Health has put out a call on Twitter for people in Gaza to head to donation centres to donate their blood.

There has been an increasing need for blood as 52 Palestinians have been killed and 2400 others injued across Gaza so far.

Death toll reaches 52

Palestinian health officials say 52 people have been killed and 2400 others have been wounded so far.

Of those killed, the ministry of health says at least six are below 18, including one female. Of those wounded, at least 200 are below the age of 18; seventy-eight are women and 11 are journalists.

PHOTO CAPTION

Palestinian protesters run from tear gas launched by Israeli forces during the Great March of Return in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip [AA]

Al-Jazeera