Soldiers shoot dead 20-year-old man near Gaza border

Published today (updated) 05/11/2012 10:36

Medics had to wait around six hours for permission to pick him up from
the spot near al-Bureij refugee camp. (MaanImages/File)

GAZA (Reuters) -- Israeli soldiers shot and killed a 20-year-old Palestinian man who approached a fence near Gaza's border with Israel, medics said on Monday.

An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed the shooting took place after darkness fell on Sunday, saying troops opened warning shots when a man walking in a riverbed failed to heed orders to leave the buffer area.

Palestinian medics said the victim, Ahmad al-Nabaheen, was unarmed and mentally unfit.

Medics had to wait around six hours for permission to pick him up from the spot near al-Bureij refugee camp. They suspected he died of injuries for which he might have been treated.

The Israeli spokeswoman could not confirm that information or say whether or not the victim was armed, saying more details about the case may become clearer later on Monday.

On Friday, a Palestinian man was seriously wounded after Israeli artillery fired several shells in the same border area. The army said it had suspected he was planting an explosive device, but no explosion ensued.

A week before, an Israeli officer had been severely injured when a bomb went off beside an army patrol in the border zone.

Ma'an staff contributed to this report