After five weeks of deadly violence along the border, during which the Gaza Health Ministry has registered at least 45 Palestinians killed by Israeli sniper fire and hundreds injured, the casualties were less severe on Friday.

By nightfall, the ministry had reported no deaths, but about 121 protesters had been wounded by live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets or shrapnel. It was not immediately clear if the drop in the casualties reflected fewer protesters or more caution by the military, which says it has been learning lessons from one week to the next.

Late in the day, some protesters set fire to the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom goods crossing, according to the Israeli military, igniting gas and fuel pipes that serve the 2 million residents of Gaza. Their motive was not immediately clear.

Israel has come under growing international scrutiny and condemnation for the use of deadly force against protesters who were mostly unarmed or who did not appear to be posing a mortal threat to Israelis.

The Israeli military and nearby Israeli communities had braced for large fires, but the day passed relatively calmly. The Palestinians attempted to launch a few kites, but with little success. At least one was cut down by an Israeli drone and fell on the Palestinian side.