Israel kills at least four Palestinians in Gaza

Two Palestinians were shot dead during clashes along the frontier during the Great March of Return protests while two others were killed in an air strike, the health ministry in Gaza said.

In this file photo, smoke and flames can be seen after Israeli fighter jets carried out air strikes in the Gaza on March 15, 2019.
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In this file photo, smoke and flames can be seen after Israeli fighter jets carried out air strikes in the Gaza on March 15, 2019.

At least four Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza on Friday, authorities said, after Israel said two of its soldiers were wounded in a shooting on the defacto border.

Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli forces along the defacto border during the Great March of Return protests while two others were killed in an air strike, the health ministry in Gaza said.

Israeli forces said the air strike was in retaliation for the shooting incident on the border that left its soldiers wounded.

The Gaza ministry named the men killed in the air strike as Abdullah Abu Mallouh, 33 and Alaa al Babli, 29.

Israel claimed to have hit a base belonging to Hamas after shots were fired at its forces along the border.

Hamas confirmed that two men killed in the air strike were its members and pledged to respond to what it called "Israeli aggression."

Palestinians have participated in demonstrations along the Gaza border for more than a year, calling on Israel to ease its crippling blockade of the enclave.

At least 268 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began in March 2018, the majority along the border.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed in that period.

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