A Palestinian youth was killed by Israeli army gunfire on Friday while taking part in ongoing demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel buffer zone, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Anadolu Agency reports.
In a statement, the ministry said that Karam Fayyad, a 26-year-old Palestinian, had been shot dead by Israeli troops east of Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis.
Another six Palestinians, including a journalist and a paramedic, were injured, the ministry said.
Last Friday, four Palestinians were killed — including a minor — while taking part in the rallies along the buffer zone.
Earlier this week, Palestinian resistance factions warned Israel against “committing crimes against Palestinian demonstrators taking part in peaceful protests”.
Demonstrators demand the right to return to their homes and villages in historical Palestine, from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.
They also demand an end to Israel’s 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its roughly two million inhabitants of many basic commodities.
Since the rallies began on March 30, more than 250 Palestinians have been killed — and thousands more injured — by Israeli troops deployed near the buffer zone.
READ: Israel forces shoot dead 16-year-old Palestinian in Gaza