Palestinian teen dies from wounds in Gaza unrest— ministry

GAZA, Palestinian Territories — A Palestinian teenager has died after being shot by Israeli occupation troops last month during protests and clashes along the Gaza border, the health ministry in the enclave said.

Saheeb Abu Kashef, 16, died late Saturday after being shot on August 3 east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the ministry.

An Israeli military spokesman has, meanwhile, raised questions over the death of another Palestinian youth in Gaza Strip during clashes on Friday. 

He claims the boy was killed by a stone, and Israeli occupation forces refused to respond to a request for further details.

The health ministry said on Friday that Shadi Abdel Aal, 12, was killed by Israeli fire east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.

On Saturday, a friend who was with him at the time said they were throwing stones at the border fence when Abdel Aal was hit by a tear gas grenade fired by Israeli soldiers and collapsed instantly.

Ashraf Al Qudra, spokesman for the Gaza health ministry, told AFP on Sunday that the ministry stood by its statement that the boy was killed by Israeli fire and that an autopsy would confirm further details.

At least 179 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since protests and clashes erupted along the border on March 30.

Israel accuses Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, of seeking to use the protests to carry out attacks or infiltrations.

Palestinians and rights groups say protesters have been shot while posing little threat.