Dozens of protesters arrived Tuesday morning at the Nitzana and Kerem Shalom border crossings, with the goal of blocking aid trucks from entering Gaza.
After the protesters succeeded in blocking the trucks, police began acting to remove the protesters from the scene and open the blockade so as to allow the trucks to enter Gaza.
Dozens of police officers from the Southern District, alongside Border Police officers, acted at the scene to secure the trucks' crossing. They will remain at the site throughout Tuesday, to allow hundreds of trucks to bring supplies into the Hamas-run territory.
Police distanced the protesters after they refused to leave of their own volition and did not follow the officers' instructions. The protesters were placed on a truck bus and removed from the crossing.
Seven protesters, who refused to leave and continued disrupting police's efforts to carry out their task, were detained at the scene. They were later taken for interrogation at a police station.
Police forces are now operating at the Nitzana Crossing as well, where 40 protesters went, intending to remove them from the crossing and allow the trucks to bring the supplies into Gaza.
"Israel Police acts with a policy of acceptance and sensitivity towards the protesters, but will not allow the disruption of public order, and will act with zero tolerance towards those who disrupt the public order and who do not listen to the police officers' instructions," a police statement read.
The Im Tirtzu movement responded, "The police are creating an anti-democratic rulership at Kerem Shalom. What is permitted to protesters at Kaplan and Balfour (locations of leftist anti-government protests - ed.) - is forbidden for the protesters at Kerem Shalom?"
"We must not transfer merchandise to the enemy - not during times of peace and certainly not during times of war! We call on the National Security Minister to ensure that the police cease this discriminatory policy and allow the freedom of protest!"
