GAZA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israeli naval forces dispersed on Monday a Palestinian fishing boats demonstration off the northern Gaza Strip coast, eyewitnesses said.

The protest, organized by the Palestinian Highest Commission for the March of Return and Defying the Israeli Siege, was joined by around 55 fishing boats, which sailed off the northern sea coast of the Gaza Strip to reach the area between the northern Gaza Strip and Israel.

The Palestinian commission has organized seven sea processions since March 30.

Local media reports said Israeli naval forces fired tear gas and live gunshots to disperse the demonstrators as soon as the fishing boats reached the northern area off the Gaza Strip coast.

More than 150 Palestinian activists on the boats burned floating tires and waved Palestinian flags during the demonstration.

The Gaza Health Ministry said in an earlier statement that the Israeli army has killed 174 demonstrators and wounded more than 19,000 others, since March 30, the first day of the ongoing Palestinian "Great March of Return" rally against Israel's 12-year crippling blockade and the U.S. embassy move to the disputed holy city of Jerusalem.

Efforts of Egypt and the UN Special Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov have achieved no tangible progress yet in reaching a long-term cease-fire between Hamas-led factions in Gaza and Israel.