Palestinian man shot by Israeli troops near Gaza border
Sally, sister of Palestinian fisherman Fahmi Abu Rayash, mourns over her brother’s body during his funeral in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on September 29, 2012. Abu Rayash died of his wounds after the Israeli navy opened fire on his boat off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics said.
Israeli Defense Forces fired on Palestinians near the Gaza border on Friday, killing one.
Palestinian medical officials told Agence France Presse that the man who died was a fisherman named Fahmi Abu Rayash. His brother was also wounded, and they were brought into Beit Lahiya hospital late on Friday morning.
Hamas officials claimed that 22-year-old Rayash was killed while fishing on the beach in the Gaza Strip, Reuters reported.
There were conflicting claims from the Israeli and Palestinian sides, with a spokesman for the IDF saying they were not aware of an incident involving soldiers firing upon a fisherman.
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Reuters noted, "Israeli army patrols deem the Gaza border area off limits because militants try to attack them by planting explosive devices or shooting at them."
The IDF troops said they fired on the suspects' legs as they allegedly approached the Gaza – Israel border on Friday.
An IDF spokesman said, "We initiated the stop-suspect-procedure, calling out for them to stop. Verbal warnings were ignored," according to The Jerusalem Post.
In a separate incident, an Israeli Navy boat fired shots near a Palestinian boat that strayed into sea waters that are off limits, said an IDF spokesman.
AFP noted that Israel imposes a strict maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip.
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