GAZA, July 27 (Xinhua) -- For the 18th consecutive Friday, clashes broke out Friday between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers close to the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel amid fear of military escalation between Hamas and Israel.

Medical sources said that dozens of young Palestinians demonstrated at five different locations in eastern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel as part of the rallies and protests they carry out every Friday since March 30.

They called the rallies "The Great March of Return and Defying the Israeli Blockade." They formed a commission that organizes the rallies and protests, which include clashes, releasing arson balloons and kites and burning tires at the border.

Medical sources said that at least three Palestinians were shot and injured by Israeli soldiers' live gunfire as demonstrators burned tires and released dozens of arson balloons and kites into Israel, which caused huge fires in various areas into Israel.

Meanwhile, eyewitnesses and local media reports said that an Israeli drone fired a missile at a group of Palestinians who were flying and releasing arson balloons from eastern Gaza City into Israel. No injuries were reported.

Earlier on Friday, organizers of the Great March of Return called on Gaza Strip populations via mosques loudspeakers to join Friday protests which called "Friday of Children killed by Israel."

Observers in the Gaza Strip said that Friday's rallies and protests may escalate tension between Israel and Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, amid a fragile Egyptian and international brokered ceasefire deal reached last week between the two sides.

On Thursday evening, the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza said in an official statement that since the start of rallies and protests on March 30, the Israeli army killed 152 Palestinians and wounded more than 16,000 others in eastern Gaza Strip.