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Gazans Wounded by Israeli Gunfire at Border Fence

Israeli soldiers shot and wounded three Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday near the border security fence, the Hamas-run health ministry said.

The three were in moderate condition after the incident, which occurred near Beit Hanoun, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told Agence France Presse.

Witnesses said the three were laborers collecting gravel for construction.

A spokesman for the Israeli army told AFP soldiers fired warning shots in the air to disperse some 140 Palestinians who had gathered near the Erez personnel crossing.

When this failed to disperse them, "they shot towards their legs," the spokesman said.

In a separate incident later in the day, Palestinians opened fire at Israel soldiers "patrolling the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip," an army statement said.

The soldiers returned fire, it said. There were no injuries.

Source: Agence France Presse


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