Gaza boy, 4, dies of wounds from gunfire on Israeli border
A four-year-old Palestinian boy died after being injured during clashes between the Israeli army and protesters along the Gaza border, the Health Ministry in Gaza said, making him the youngest of scores killed since weekly protests began in March.
“Ahmed Abu Abed, aged four years and eight months, died as a result of the wounds he received last Friday east of Khan Younis,” ministry spokesman Ashraf Al Qudra said. In the hospital where the boy died, Bassem, 38, who told AFP news agency he was the child’s uncle, said Ahmed was injured by shrapnel when his father was shot during regular Friday protests along the border.
The Health Ministry did not give details on how the child was injured but a senior ministry official told Israeli media that he was hit by bullet shrapnel in the face, chest and stomach.
It remains unclear if the bullet directly hit him or if it ricocheted and then struck him. It was not clear why the child had been taken to the border protests and there was no independent confirmation of the circumstances.
The Israeli army did not respond to requests for comment.
Palestinians have been protesting along the Gaza border at least weekly since March against Israel’s crippling siege of the coastal enclave. They are calling for a return to the lands from which they were removed when the state of Israel was formed in 1948.
Israel has said it will shoot anyone who approaches the border fence. But many protesters say they are unarmed and simply expressing their discontent about Israeli policy.
At least 235 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers since.
Most died from gunfire but others in air strikes and by tank fire. Two Israelis have been killed in the same time.
At least 235 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers, most by gunfire but others in air strikes and by tanks