Gazan said wounded by Israeli fire near border overnight

Army says troops fired in order to distance small group of Palestinians from security fence, not aware of any injuries

By ToI Staff 19 October 2019, 10:22 am

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Illustrative: A Palestinian uses a slingshot to throw a stone at Israeli forces during clashes along the border with Israel, east of Bureij in the central Gaza Strip, on October 18, 2019. (Mahmud Hams/AFP)

Israeli forces fired toward a small group of Palestinians approaching the Gaza border fence overnight, reportedly injuring one.

The Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip on Saturday said the Palestinian was shot in the coastal enclave’s north, near Jabaliya.

The Israel Defense Forces was quoted saying by Hebrew media that soldiers fired their weapons to distance the Palestinians from the border and that it was not aware of any injuries.

Also Saturday, Channel 12 reported that Israeli fighter jets were sent toward Gaza after a suspicious object was spotted entering into Israel from the Palestinian territory. They then returned to their base.

The report did not say what the suspicious object was.

The incidents came after over 4,000 Palestinian demonstrators took part in weekly protests Friday along the border Gaza and Israel, with several hundred rioting and clashing with Israeli troops.

Rioters threw rocks and explosive devices at troops who responded with tear gas and live fire.

The Gaza health ministry said 48 Palestinians were wounded in the clashes, 26 from live fire.

A Palestinian uses a slingshot to throw back a tear gas canister at Israeli forces during a riot along the border with Israel, east of Bureij in the central Gaza Strip, on October 18, 2019. (Mahmud Hams/AFP)

Since March 2018, Palestinians have been holding weekly “March of Return” protests on the border, which Israel has accused Gaza’s Hamas rulers of using to carry out attacks on troops and attempt to breach the security fence. Hamas, an Islamist terror group, seeks to destroy Israel.

Last month, an Egyptian intelligence delegation paid a secret visit to Israel due to fears of a fresh flareup between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip amid the political deadlock in Jerusalem, Channel 13 reported.

Egypt has brokered a number of truces between Israel and Hamas in recent years.

Also Friday, the Defense Ministry said Israeli security guards shot and killed a knife-wielding Palestinian man who ran toward them at a checkpoint near the West Bank city of Tulkarem.