Palestinian shot by Israeli forces dies

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK: A Palestinian man died on Wednesday from a bullet wound suffered during clashes with Israeli forces last week along Gaza’s border fence over the weekend, Palestinian health officials said.

Osama Dueij, 32, was shot in the leg on Saturday during a violent demonstration on the border. The Israeli military said demonstrators approached one area of the fence in northern Gaza and tried to climb over while throwing explosives at troops. In response, it said that troops fired tear gas and live rounds towards the protesters. Israeli gunfire wounded 41 Palestinians, including a 13-yearold boy who was shot in the head, the Hamas-run health ministry said.

An Israeli border policeman who was critically wounded after being shot in the head by a Palestinian gunman remained hospitalised on Wednesday. Amateur video from the Gaza Strip appeared to show a Palestinian firing a pistol from blank range into an Israeli sniper position through a hole in a concrete barrier.

Israel’s military responded by bombing Hamas weapons sites in the Gaza Strip early on Sunday, hitting “four weapons and storage manufacturing sites,” the army said. There were no immediate reports of injuries from the airstrikes.

Hundreds of Palestinians took part in Saturday’s demonstration organised by Gaza’s Hamas rulers against the Israeli-Egyptian blockade of the enclave and Israel’s decision to halt Qatari aid funds.