Israel kills Palestinian civilian in Gaza border protest

A Palestinian man was killed on Friday by Israeli fire during a protest along the Gaza border, the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave said.

Alaa Hamdan, 28, was shot in the chest by Israeli soldiers near Jabalia in northern Gaza, the ministry’s spokesman announced, as protesters returned to the frontier for renewed demonstrations and clashes.

The Israeli army did not comment on the specific incident but said around 5,800 of Palestinian "rioters and demonstrators" had gathered in multiple locations along the border fence, with some throwing stones and explosive devices towards soldiers.

Palestinians have been gathering for weekly demonstrations at various points along the border since March 2018.

The protests are demanding Israel end a crippling blockade of the strip and allow Palestinians to return to lands they fled in the 1948 war that founded the Jewish state.

A further five Palestinians were shot and wounded in Friday's demonstrations, the ministry said.

At least 310 Palestinian have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since the protests began, the majority during the demonstrations.

Eight Israelis have been killed in Gaza-related violence over the same period.