Palestinian dies of wounds after Israel border fire: Gaza ministry

Gaza City: A Palestinian died Tuesday four days after being hit by an Israeli tear gas canister during clashes along the Gaza border, the health ministry in the strip said.

Samir al-Nabaheen, 47, was hit in the face by a tear gas canister Friday during protests east of al-Bureij in central Gaza, the ministry said.

Palestinians have for nearly a year gathered at least weekly in various spots along the Gaza border for often-violent protests.

They want to be able to return to the homes their families fled from in the war surrounding Israel’s creation in 1948, as well as an end to the Jewish state’s blockade of Gaza.

Another Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire east of Rafah in southern Gaza on Friday, the ministry said.

Israel accuses the strip’s Islamist rulers Hamas of controlling the protests and using them as cover to carry out attacks against its soldiers along the border.

Since they began last March at least 246 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, the majority during border protests but also by tank fire and airstrikes.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed in the same period.

[source_without_link]AFP[/source_without_link]