Death toll rises to 61 amid mass protests in Gaza

The number of Palestinians martyred by Israeli army gunfire rose Monday with thousands more injured during anti-occupation rallies along the Gaza Strip's eastern border.

The death toll now stands at 61 with over 2,770 injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Among those killed was Fadi Abu Salah, a disabled Palestinian activist who was severely injured during Israel's 2008/2009 "Operation Cast Lead".

According to the ministry, over 40 Palestinians were "seriously injured" Monday by intense cross-border fire by the Israeli army.

At one point, Israeli drones dropped teargas bombs on Palestinian demonstrators arrayed along the border, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

Thousands of Palestinians have gathered on the Gaza Strip's eastern border since Monday morning to take part in protests aimed at commemorating the Nakba anniversary and to protest the relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Since the border rallies began on March 30, more than 90 Palestinian demonstrators have been killed by cross-border Israeli gunfire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The rallies are to culminate on Tuesday, the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment -- an event Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" or "the Catastrophe".

Last week, the Israeli government said the ongoing border protests constituted a "state of war" in which international humanitarian law did not apply.