Israeli soldiers shoot dead Palestinian teenager near Gaza border

The sun sets over the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters

Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian teenager near the border fence in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday, Palestinian medical officials said.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said several suspects approached the fence at two different points and did not heed calls by soldiers to stop. She said one group threw stones at the security fence and that soldiers fired warning shots in the air before firing at the "suspects' lower extremities."

Gaza hospital officials identified the teenager as Mohammed al-Masri, 17.

Israel enforces a 300-meter-(1,000-foot)-deep, security no-go zone on the Gaza side of the fence. The frontier has been largely quiet since a 2014 war between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in which more than 2,100 Palestinians and 73 Israelis were killed.

In a separate incident in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a Palestinian toddler was killed in a house fire set by suspected Jewish assailants.

The attack drew anger and widespread condemnation from Palestinian and Israeli leaders, who denounced it as an act of terror. The United Nations, United States,European Union and other countries also denounced the attack and called for calm.

related articles
Analysis:  Why didn\'t Tony Blair achieve more in Israel-Palestine, and whose fault was it?
Analysis: Why didn't Tony Blair achieve more in Israel-Palestine, and whose fault was it?

Analysis: Why didn't Tony Blair achieve more in Israel-Palestine, and whose fault was it?

Are US Churches shifting their allegiance on Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
Are US Churches shifting their allegiance on Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Are US Churches shifting their allegiance on Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Israel and Gaza: a year after the war and still most evangelical Christians don\'t get it
Israel and Gaza: a year after the war and still most evangelical Christians don't get it

Israel and Gaza: a year after the war and still most evangelical Christians don't get it

Christian sites need more protection, Israeli church leaders say

Christian sites need more protection, Israeli church leaders say

Arson attack by Jewish extremists claims life of Palestinian toddler
Arson attack by Jewish extremists claims life of Palestinian toddler

Arson attack by Jewish extremists claims life of Palestinian toddler

News
Surge in searches for local churches
Surge in searches for local churches

The Church of England has been buoyed by latest figures showing a leap in visits to its church finder website. 

Church safeguarding is firmly rooted in Scripture
Church safeguarding is firmly rooted in Scripture

Safeguarding is indeed every Christian’s responsibility.

Australian judge rules against puberty blockers for 12 year old in 'stunning victory for sanity'
Australian judge rules against puberty blockers for 12 year old in 'stunning victory for sanity'

The idea that gender identity is not affected by external factors was found to be unsupported by evidence.

Egypt's Christians face 'constant pressure to hide their faith'
Egypt's Christians face 'constant pressure to hide their faith'

Despite being 11 million strong, Egypt's Christians face persistent persecution