By Ian Lee, Abeer Salman and Amir Tal, CNN

Gaza (CNN)At least 15 Palestinians were killed and more than 1,400 injured in confrontations with Israeli forces during protests at the Gaza border on Friday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.The Health Ministry said 1,416 people were wounded as protesters marched toward a fence that separates Gaza from Israel on the first day of demonstrations scheduled to take place over six weeks. The dead included one 16-year-old, the ministry said.

In northern Gaza, CNN witnessed at least two dozen people being taken away by ambulances in the span of half an hour. Injuries varied from rubber bullets, tear gas and live rounds fired by the Israeli military. The majority were young men — one woman was among the injured.A Palestinian Red Crescent spokesman in Gaza told CNN that 355 injuries were from live bullets and included serious wounds to the head, abdomen and back. The Red Crescent had set up a field hospital in eastern Gaza and was setting up a second hospital in nearby east Jabalia.

Tens of thousands of Palestinian protesters marched in Gaza along the fence, with smaller groups taking to the streets in the West Bank and Israel Friday in what is being called the March of Return.The protest coincides with Palestinian Land Day, which commemorates the confiscation of Palestinian-owned land in Israel in 1976. Six Palestinian citizens of Israel were killed protesting the seizures at the time.

Prior to Friday’s protest, organizers said the march would be nonviolent, but warned of possible military fire from Israeli forces.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that thousands of Palestinians were “rioting throughout the Gaza Strip, rolling burning tires and hurling stones at the security fence and at IDF troops, who are responding with riot dispersal means and firing towards main instigators.”