Soldiers shoot man near Gaza border
Palestinians say injured 20-year-old was gathering stones for concrete; army claims he refused orders to leave closed zone
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
IDF soldiers on the Gaza border shot and injured a Palestinian man Monday.
The army spokesperson’s office said that dozens of Palestinians congregated in a closed zone near the border outside of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip.
The soldiers ordered the Palestinians out of the area near the Erez Crossing and fired warning shots into the air, then fired at one man’s legs, identifying a hit.
The 20-year-old Palestinian was in the area collecting stones to make concrete, witnesses told the Palestinian Ma’an news agency .
The man suffered moderate wounds.
On Thursday, two Palestinian teens were shot dead by IDF troops during clashes outside the Ofer Prison near Ramallah as Palestinians rallied to mark Nakba Day, which commemorates their displacement following the establishment of the State of Israel. Palestinians said the two had been killed by live ammunition, but Border Police sources insisted troops had only used rubber-coated bullets. The IDF said it was investigating the incident.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
