Gaza City, December 12: Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian militant early today during a shootout in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, medics said.
“Sami Abu Khussa, 40, died after being hit by a shell near the (Israeli) border east of the Al-Bureij (refugee) camp,” a medical official told AFP.
It was not immediately clear to which armed faction the man belonged.
An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed there was an armed clash in the area.
“The Palestinians opened fire against Israeli forces operating near the security barrier in central Gaza Strip,” she said. “The soldiers responded. There were no injuries on the Israeli side.”
It marked the latest violence along Gaza’s border, which has been mostly quiet since a war that Israel launched on Hamas in Gaza on December 27, 2008 in response to rocket fire ended with mutual ceasefires on January 18.
The ceasefires have largely held despite violations by both sides.
–Agencies