Israeli forces 'shoot machine guns' at Palestinian farmers in Gaza's Khan Yunis

Israeli forces reportedly shot machine guns at Palestinian crop farmers and animal herders in Gaza on Tuesday.

Troops stationed in watch towers in Israel but near Khan Yunis province in Gaza's south fired at the Palestinians as they worked, official Palestinian news agency Wafa said.

The agricultural workers fled the "heavy… gunfire" east of the town of Khuzaa where they had been looking after their crops and cows, Wafa cited its correspondent as adding.

Gaza is a besieged Palestinian enclave on which Israel and Egypt have imposed a crushing siege since 2007, the year Hamas seized control there.

The blockade, which human rights groups have slammed as illegal collective punishment, heavily restricts who and what enters and exits Gaza, causing immense suffering.

According to figures, more than half the strip's population was living in poverty as of last year.

Israel also often militarily attacks Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas on Earth, leading to alarmingly high death tolls.

In May 2021, Israel launched a deadly 11-day bombing campaign against the enclave, killing over 250 Palestinians.

Rocket fire from Hamas and other Gaza militants killed 13 in Israel.

While Israeli troops withdrew from the strip in 2005, many consider it to remain occupied given that Israel decides where Palestinians can fish, farm and otherwise use its land, air and sea territories.