Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops on the Gaza-Israel border, east of Gaza City, on Feb. 8, 2019. At least two Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded on Friday afternoon by Israeli soldiers' gunfire during clashes with hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators in eastern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel, medics said. (Xinhua/Yasser Qudih)
GAZA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least two Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded on Friday afternoon by Israeli soldiers' gunfire during clashes with hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators in eastern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel, medics said.
Ashraf al-Qedra, health ministry spokesman in Gaza, told reporters that Hamza Ishteiwi, 18 years old, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers' gunfire in eastern Gaza.
Al-Qedra said earlier Friday that Hassan Shalabi, 14 years old, was killed by Israeli soldiers' gunfire east of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, also close to the border with Israel.
He noted that dozens were injured in eastern Gaza, including 17 shot by live Israeli soldiers' gunshots, adding that they were referred to hospitals all over Gaza while the others were treated by paramedics in the field.
Hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators arrived on Friday afternoon in eastern Gaza Strip to join the 46th rallies, part of a weekly anti-Israel protests, better known as the "Great March of Return", which started late last March.
The eyewitnesses said that the demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, chanted anti-Israel slogans and threw stones at the soldiers stationed at the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel.
In return, the soldiers fired dozens of tear gas canisters at the demonstrators, who suffered suffocation after inhaling the tear gas, according to field paramedics, adding that the soldiers opened fire at demonstrators who approached the fence of the border.
Since last March, the Israeli soldiers have shot and killed more than 250 Palestinians and wounded 26,000 others, most of them injured by live ammunition, according to Gaza Health Ministry's figures.
