IDF soldiers on Wednesday shot at Palestinians rioting near the Israel-Gaza
border fence, wounding seven, according to Palestinian medical officials cited
by the Ma’an news agency.
Groups of Palestinians gathered on the Gaza
side of the fence on Wednesday afternoon and spent several hours attempting to
damage the barrier, the IDF said.
The rioting occurred on the border with
both central and southern Gaza.
IDF soldiers shouted out verbal warnings,
an IDF spokeswoman said, adding that when their calls were ignored, shots were
fired at the legs of those taking part in the violent
disturbances.
Medical officials told Ma’an that one man sustained serious
injuries, and was transferred to the hospital.
“The IDF will continue to
secure the border and safeguard the Israeli public,” the spokeswoman
added.
This is the second incident of its kind along the border since a
cease-fire took hold between Hamas and Israel last week.
On Friday, IDF
gunfire across the Gaza border killed one Palestinian and wounded several
others, Palestinians medics said.
The IDF stated that a group of about
300 Palestinians approached the border fence in the southern Gaza Strip and held
a violent disturbance along the border.
One armed Palestinian was
apprehended in Israeli territory after having crossed the fence and was returned
to Gaza by soldiers, the IDF stated.
A Hamas spokesman accused Israel of
violating the Egyptian-mediated truce and said the group would complain to
Cairo.
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