Child among four Palestinians killed during Friday's Gaza protests

Four Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops Friday including a 15-year-old boy, during protests of protests on the Gaza border.

In the fourth Friday of demonstrations on the Gaza border, thousands of Palestinians defied the ruthless tactics used by the Israeli army against the protesters to fly kites in the area.

Israeli troops shot and killed a 15-year-old boy, Mohammed Ibrahim Ayoub, and two young men, aged 24 and 25, in northern Gaza, rescue workers said.

A 29-year-old Palestinian was also shot dead in the south of besieged Gaza.

UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process Nikolay Mladenov took to Twitter to express his disgust at the killing of the teenager and called for an inquiry into the killings.

"It is OUTRAGEOUS to shoot at children!" he wrote.

"How does the killing of a child in #Gaza today help #peace? It doesn't! It fuels anger and breeds more killing. #Children must be protected from #violence, not exposed to it, not killed! This tragic incident must be investigated."

Palestine's ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour also renewed calls for a "transparent and independent investigation".

At least 38 unarmed Palestinian protesters have been shot dead by Israeli forces since 30 March, with hundreds more injured from live fire.

Around 440 protesters were wounded by gunfire or needed treatment for tear gas inhalation, Gaza's health ministry said.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman has come under fire for the shooting of protesters approaching the border. He has blamed Hamas - the Islamist group which controls the strip - for the latest killings.

Protests have centered on the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, after they were expelled following the 1948 creation of Israel.

Much of Gaza's population are refugees who were evicted or fled there homes during this period.

Yesterday's protest was dubbed "Friday of Kites", with protests flying messages to Israel on the border.

Gazans pinned notes to some of the kites telling Israelis "there is no place for you in Palestine."