The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said that peaceful mass protests will continue until the siege of the Gaza Strip is ended.

“We will return to Palestine, our villages and Jerusalem al-Quds," said Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh on Monday at a protest camp set up along the border with Israel. 

"Although we are in the second week of the March of Return, this peaceful, civilized, and popular march has achieved important goals, and we are still in the beginning,” he added, Press TV reported.

While stressing that the marches were peaceful, Haniyeh stressed that Hamas is prepared to take up arms against the Tel Aviv regime is required. 

On March 30, Palestinians marched to the fence separating Gaza from the occupied territories at the start of a six-week protest, dubbed “The Great March of Return,” demanding the right to return for those driven out of their homeland.

The demonstrations turned violent after Israeli forces used tear gas and live fire against the protesters.

Israel has faced international criticism over its use of live fire after almost two weeks of protests and clashes along the fence in which its forces have killed 30 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.