Israeli troops killed a Palestinian man on Friday and wounded others in a cross-border confrontation with protesters in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian hospital officials said. The Israeli army could not confirm that a Palestinian had been killed in the confrontation.
The shooting occurred after Israeli forces killed two Palestinian militants in a Gaza air strike on Wednesday, blaming one of them for a rocket attack during the funeral of late prime minister Ariel Sharon earlier this month.
Palestinian hospital officials said Israeli troops had fired across the border into Gaza on Friday, killing a civilian aged 20 and wounding three other men, while three other Palestinians were injured by rubber bullets or tear gas inhalation.
Palestinian news agency Ma'an confirmed the death of 20-year-old Bilal Samer Oweidah in the confrontation.
An IDF spokeswoman said that dozens of Palestinians entered a closed security zone on the border between northern Gaza and Israel and rioted in the area.
IDF soldiers who arrived at the scene called on the rioters to disperse, but were ignored, the spokeswoman said. The soldiers fired at the legs of the suspects, striking and injuring two men.