Two Palestinians killed, by Israeli, several wounded in border protests

GAZA: Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians during Friday protests at the Gaza-Israel border, the health ministry in Gaza said.

It said in a statement that one of those killed was a 14-year-old boy shot in the head during border confrontations east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Earlier the ministry reported the killing of Ghazi Abu Mustafa 43, and said he was shot by Israeli soldiers, also in the head, near the frontier fence, east of the southern town of Khan Yunis.

The Israeli military did not comment directly on the deaths but said about 7,000 Palestinian threw rocks and rolled burning tyres at soldiers, and at the fence itself, at several locations along the border.

“Troops are responding with riot dispersal means and firing in accordance with the rules of engagement,” an English-language statement said, without elaborating.

There has been violence between the Israeli army and Palestinian protesters in the Gaza Strip since late March in which at least 156 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli army fire. Several thousand Gazans have been wounded by Israeli fire since the start of the “March of Return” protests on March 30.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.

AFP inputs