Qassam rocket (Archive photo)
Photo: Amir Cohen
Palestinian killed near Qassam launcher
IDF claims it hit terrorist standing near rocket launchers in northern Strip, shortly after Qassam was fired from area at southern community. According to Palestinians, 15-year-old boy killed was not one of gunmen
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday morning killed a 15-year-old Palestinian who was standing near Qassam rocket launchers in the northern Gaza Strip.
Soldiers fired at him shortly after a rocket was launched from the area at Moshav Nativ Haasara in southern Israel, without causing any damage.
Palestinian sources in the Gaza Strip reported that the boy killed in the Beit Lahiya area was Abdullah Abu Namus. According to the sources, he had nothing to do with the Qassam fire.
Several schoolchildren were also injured in the incidents, one of them sustaining moderate to serious wounds.
Military officials claimed that they hit "a terrorist standing near launchers." Army sources said that the soldiers hit a figure spotted near the launchers, in an area from where a rocket was launched at Israel.
Last week, there were several incidents in which Qassams were launched at Israel from a school.
The rocket fired at Nativ Haasara apparently landed near the community hothouses. There were no reports of injuries or damage.
Earlier, another Palestinian died of his wounds after being hit by an IDF shell in the Beit Hanoun incident last week.
Ali Waked contributed to the report
