Four-year-old Palestinian dies after being shot by Israeli troops in Gaza

A four-year-old Palestinian boy has died days after he was shot by Israeli soldiers during a border protest, Gaza's Health Ministry said late on Tuesday.

Ahmed Abu Abed becomes the youngest of some 175 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in the demonstrations since March.

Local journalist Hassan Islaieh said the boy was with his father and dozens of other protesters when he was hit by shrapnel on Friday. He says the boy was about 20 metres from the fence.

Demonstrations began in March for the right of refugees in Gaza to return their homes lost since the 1948 creation of Israel, prompting a forceful response from Israel.

Since March, at least 235 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces who have used live fire on the unarmed protesters and carried out raids on the Gaza strip.

More than 50 Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in 2018, according to NGO Defense for Children International.

Israel, however, has accused Palestinians of endangering lives and destroying farmland through the use of incendiary devices and pinned blame on Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, for the deaths, which include dozens of children.

Human rights groups and the UN have condemned Israel's overwhelming use of force to disperse the demonstrations.