IDF tank on Gaza border
Photo: Roee Idan
Gaza official: Woman killed on Israel border
Palestinian sources claim woman was killed by IDF fire Friday night after approaching fence; IDF says it opened fire on group of Palestinians marching towards barrier.
A Gaza health official said Saturday that a woman was shot and killed on the border with Israel, the morning after Israel said troops fired on Palestinians suspiciously approaching the boundary.
It was not clear if the two incidents were linked. Ashraf Al Kedra said the body of a 58-year-old woman was retrieved Saturday morning. Gaza residents said there had been Israeli shooting in the area late Friday.
The Israeli military said soldiers spotted Palestinians approaching the border and called on them to stop. It said when calls were ignored the troops fired warning shots in the air and later toward the Palestinians.
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It is unclear why the woman approached the security barrier, though Gazan officials believe she had lost her way and came near the barrier by accident. Her relatives say that the woman was mentally ill.
Palestinians claim that the IDF prevented an ambulance from evacuating the woman, and as a result she succumbed to her wounds. They claim that Palestinians were only allowed to approach the area Saturday morning and remove the corpse.
Earlier the military said it carried out an airstrike in Gaza "to eliminate an imminent threat." It did not elaborate. Airstrikes usually target Palestinian militants that fire rockets into Israel.
Elior Levy and Yoav Zitun contributed to this report
