Palestinian dies after Israel border clashes: Gaza ministry

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GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories, Jan 14, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A Palestinian
teenager succumbed to his wounds on Monday three days after being shot by
Israeli forces during clashes on the Gaza border, the health ministry in the
coastal enclave said.

In a statement, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said Abdul Raouf
Salha, 14, “died as a result of his injuries from (Israeli) occupation fire
last Friday east of Jabalia” in the northern Gaza Strip.

Palestinians have been taking part in often violent protests at least
weekly since March along the Gaza-Israel border.

The demonstrators are calling to be allowed to return to the homes their
families fled or were expelled from in territory that is now inside Israel.

Israel accuses the strip’s Islamist rulers Hamas of orchestrating the
protests and using them as cover for violence.

The Israeli army said Friday around 13,000 Palestinians had taken part in
violent “riots” in multiple sites along the border.

It had not responded to a request for comment on the teenager’s death on
Monday.

At least 243 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since protests
began in March.

The majority have been killed during protests and clashes, though others
have died in airstrikes or shelling.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period, one by a
Palestinian sniper and another during a botched special forces operation
inside Gaza.