The assertion that “the first casualty of war is truth” applies not only to violent conflict but also to violent attacks by state authorities on unarmed protesters, as recently occurred in Gaza. Israeli and US officials continue to produce untruths and half-truths about what Palestinians call the Great Return March and Israel's bloody attempts to silence protesters with snipers. Serious media attempts at debunking their warped descriptions are rare.

Hasbara, a form of Israeli propaganda aimed at international audiences, religiously repeated three particular claims, or myths, and US officials, as well as major Western media, have for the large part further spread them: The protests in Gaza were violent; the protests were instigated by the “terrorist” Hamas; and Israel merely acted in self-defense, protecting itself as any sovereign nation would.

Perry Cammack, a fellow with the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Al-Monitor that the March 30 protests are a move away from violent militancy among Palestinians, including Hamas. “This is clearly a new trend in Palestinian society that attempts to expand the notions of resistance and nonviolent protests.”

Great effort was made to ensure that no weapons were used, and a lot of work went into highlighting various symbols of the Palestinian struggle for independence and the right of return. Among the latter were tents (representing refugee camps) and old keys (symbolizing the keys to the homes Palestinians fled in 1948). Also featured were images of Handallah, a cartoon figure symbolizing Palestinian refugees yearning to return to their land.