GAZA CITY – A Gazan man was killed by Israeli fire in northern Gaza on Tuesday, medical sources said, as Palestinian factions met to discuss tensions with Israel along the border. “A Palestinian was killed by an Israeli tank shell near Erez,” Adham Abu Selmiya told AFP, identifying him as 21-year-old Mohammed Ziyad Shalha.
Earlier, witnesses reported seeing Israeli troops firing at two men in the same area who were said to be collecting gravel, in what was understood to be the same incident. At the time, Palestinian medics were not allowed into the area so were unable to confirm how many people were involved or how badly they had been hurt. It was not immediately clear if a second person was involved.
The Israeli army confirmed firing at someone near the border fence, but a spokeswoman mentioned only one person, who she said was armed and had been hit. “The IDF identified an armed man near the security fence in the northern Gaza Strip and fired towards him,” she said. “They identified a hit.” The area along the Gaza border has been declared a no-go zone by the Israeli military for fear of attacks, and troops often fire on Palestinians who venture into it.
But locals often risk injury or death to enter the no-go zone in search of gravel, which they can sell. Later, two mortars were fired from Gaza into into southern Israel, but exploded in a field without causing injuries or damage, Israeli media said. The army said it could not confirm the report.
