JERUSALEM – Israel on Friday struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip withtank and aircraft fire after troops were shot at on the Israeli side of theborder, the army said.
The Israeli military said in a statement that “no injuries to soldiers werereported” after its troops came under fire.
Palestinian security sources in Hamas-ruled Gaza told AFP that the Israelistrikes hit Hamas military observation posts at three locations along thefrontier.
They said there were no reports of Palestinian casualties.
Palestinians in Gaza have for more than a year gathered at least weeklyalong the border for often-violent protests, calling on Israel to end itsblockade of the enclave.
The Israeli statement did not say if there were mass protests taking placeat the time of Friday’s incident.
The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza later said in a statement that 15people were wounded by Israeli fire during border demonstrations, including”two paramedics and one journalist”.
It gave no further information.
At least 264 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli forces sincethe protests began.
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The majority were killed during clashes, with others hit by tank fire orair strikes.
Two Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period.
Hamas on Friday called on the UN to speed up a plan to funnel Qatari aidinto the Palestinian enclave, part of an Egyptian-brokered truce withIsrael.
After a severe flare-up between Israel and Hamas last month the ceasefirewas hammered out amid fears of escalation.
Hamas said the truce would see Israel ease its crippling blockade of thestrip in exchange for quiet.
Israel has not publicly commented on the reported agreement. APP/AFP
