Jane Ferguson:

The Israeli army denies this.

They wouldn't grant an interview to the "NewsHour," but released a statement saying: "For over a year, the Israeli Defense Forces have been operating against violent riots and terrorist activities under their auspices, which include shooting at soldiers, attempts to penetrate into Israel, attempts to damage the security infrastructure, burning tires, throwing stones, throwing Molotov cocktails and grenades in order to harm IDF soldiers."

But in a damning report released in March, the United Nations' independent commission of inquiry disputed that, saying the Israeli military sniping at protesters was unlawful and unjustified, and should be referred to the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

The U.N. noted that some protesters threw stones and lit kites on fire to send across the fence, but the majority were peaceful civilians. Israeli soldiers, the commission said, shot and killed children, paramedics, journalists and the disabled, fully aware of who they were.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the report, saying it was motivated by — quote — "an obsessive hatred of Israel."

Despite the dangers, protesters still show up here every single Friday. The Israelis have reinforced the borders along here, and they still shoot at protesters who make it too close to them.

On this day, the numbers are down to just a few hundred people, mainly young men and boys inching towards the fence in a dangerous game of chicken. Most of these kids have never seen the outside world, trapped in a tiny strip of land under blockade by the Israeli government and ruled over by the militant group Hamas.

Flaming kites are still sometimes sent across the fence, causing Israeli farmers' crops to burn. The most cynical here encourage the smallest to approach the fence, goading Israeli guards.

Israel says the protests are organized by the militant group Hamas, but the people we met here deny that.