Friday, February 28, 2014

Israeli forces shoot man near Gaza border

Published Friday 28/02/2014 (updated) 02/03/2014 14:42
(MaanImages/file)
GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian man on Friday during a protest against Israeli restrictions in border areas.

An unidentified man in his twenties was shot in the leg near Beit Lahiya and taken to hospital with moderate injuries.

He was taking part in a demonstration against Israel's "security buffer zone", which extends between 500 meters and 1500 meters into the Gaza, effectively turning local farms into no-go zones.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said dozens of Palestinians gathered in different prohibited areas near the Gaza border.

"After exhausting all efforts, IDF personnel opened fire and wounded one of main instigators," she added.

According to UNOCHA, 17 percent of Gaza's total land area and 35 percent of its agricultural land were within the buffer zone as of 2010, directly affecting the lives and livelihoods of more than 100,000 Gazans.

On Feb. 13, Israeli forces killed Ibrahim Suleiman Mansour, 26, after shooting him in the head during a protest near the border east of Gaza City.