Palestinian shot dead by Israeli forces on Gaza border

GAZA CITY

A Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces on the Gaza border on April 3, the health ministry in the strip said, as tensions remained high days after 17 people were killed when a mass demonstration led to clashes.

The ministry identified the dead man as 25-year-old Ahmed Arafa, saying he was shot in the chest during clashes east of Bureij in central Gaza.

Israel’s army said in a statement that “throughout the day, tens of Palestinians participated in violent riots in four main locations along the Gaza border.”

It added that “troops used riot dispersal means, and fired towards suspects who were involved in damaging the security fence.”

It was the first death since at least 17 Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops on March 30 when a protest by tens of thousands of people resulted in clashes. That was the deadliest day since the 2014 war between Israel and Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas.