Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian Along Gaza Border

JERUSALEM (Associated Press) -- Israeli troops killed a Palestinian man along the Gaza Strip border early Friday, both sides said, but the circumstances of the incident were unclear.

The Israeli military said soldiers opened fire at a group of five men who "appeared to be planting explosive devices" along the tense frontier. One man was killed, another was taken for medical treatment in Israel and three others were taken to Israel for questioning, the military said.

But it could not confirm the men were armed and said an investigation was under way.

A Palestinian official at Gaza's central Shuhada al-Aqsa hospital said troops fired on a group of four civilian men who were bird hunting. One was slightly wounded and taken to the hospital, and the other three were taken into Israel by Israeli troops, he said.

The military later returned the body of one of the men to the hospital, he added. The official did not identify the deceased, describing the body as that of a man his 20s.

The hospital official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information. By mid-afternoon, none of Gaza's militant groups had claimed the dead man as its member.

Young Gazans often hunt birds in the late fall with nets and traps.

Gaza has been largely quiet since Israel's offensive against Hamas early this year, but there has been sporadic violence along the border.

Comments

[jollyelle]

They do want they want.........hunt, kill, shoot first, think, never.....­..........­karma, it's all stacking up.

[stardust835]

I wonder if the internationals coming to the Gaza Freedom March in January will be shot as well?

[Bariis]

Snipers have intentionally killed them in the past.

[Theou]

Being an International supporter of the Palestinians is a very dangerous thing and speakes volumes for those brave souls who are willing to face those dangers on behalf of justice.

[Oleg1]

It is inconceivable that any Gazan would EVER contemplate acts of violence against Israel! Don't let them people who control the media of the entire Milky Way tell yo otherwise!
This group of young men simply got together to collect dandelions near the border and maybe compose a haiku or two.

[genofear]

Actually, the region has an long and extensive poetic tradition. If Italian is the language of love, Arabic is the language of poetry.

[lbsaltzman]

It is entirely conceivable that people from Gaza would want to commit acts of violence against Israel. that is a normal reaction against a brutal oppressor like Israel.

[basenji]

If Israel doesn't manage to reignite violence her hands may be forced into a deal. That's a no no.

[WBMD]

Hamas is laying bombs and still sending in rockets, and Israel is "re-igniting". It is exactly that mindset that led to Operation Cast Lead, and may well end in Israel's soldiers going back into Gaza to stay. The Israelis, in this case, have nothing to lose, politically, or security-wise.

[Garioch]

When Hamas stopped firing rockets Israel continued with their assassination attacks. There have been very few ceasefires in the region which have not first been broken by Israeli provocation or attacks.

[Progressneeded]

I think people have wised up to how the game is played. Isr@el is not an innocent victim and many know it, so stop your lies. The whole purpose of the Gaza blockade was to entice violence so the soldiers can go back in and you just proved the point!

[we must be aware]

I am against hunting of both people or animals! All life are percious.

[Theou]

Hunting for birds in Gaza is not a pastime, it is a necessary supplement to food supplies that are in drastically short supply owing to the Israeli blockade [an on going act of war]

[StCuthbert]

That is false. Do you have any proof about a) how common bird hunting is, and b) how necessary it is? I think you're making up an explanation to fit your world-view.

[Thabit]

Speaking of making up something to support your world view Cuthbert. Like israel would let anyone in to verify anything in Gaza after destroying the power plant in gaza and no dependable electric supply Palestinians cant preserve food dependably or cook it easily and bottlenecked at crossings by israelis. A bird would have to be out of its mind to land among the hungry in palestine

[Oleg1]

Bird catching-- four military age men.. at the most fortified border in the world... without a single tree for miles around... digging in the ground... for birds.
Actually ehhhh.....they were bringing some water and fresh couscous to Israel soldiers as a peace offering..
If you're gonna lie, why not do with panache.

[Garioch]

You really don't know much about hunting do you?

[xypher0725]

They don't have tree's in Gaza?...that's news to me

[Oleg1]

Many things are news to you, apparently. Including the fact that cutting tress next to check points is a common procedure.

[vascopyjama]

Actually a lot of trees were cut down by the Israelis because they were blocking the view in their field of fire.

[Oleg1]

Four military age men were .... BIRD HUNTING???? at the border..... L.O.L.... this is an excuse worthy of Bart Simpson.

[StCuthbert]

Notice how bird hunting would normally require weapons such as shotguns, but according to the article: "it could not confirm the men were armed and said an investigation was under way."

[Garioch]

You are aware that people hunted prior to the invention of the shotgun or did you think that was the only way to hunt birds?

[martin2]

Nets

[JerryLevy]

This reporter published this without any investigation. We don't know for sure if it happened, we don't know why, we don't know any circumstances. This reporter should do an investigation and then write an article, not vice versa. The associated press is known for its bias and sloppiness in its Middle East reporting.

[Sentientbeing09]

and also open, unbiased, honest reporting of Israeli aggression and activities.

Is that why you hate them so much?

[WBMD]

"Hate" is such a strong word. They have just proven themselves repeatedly unreliable and untrustworthy.

[Thabit]

Oh yes you're right Jerry and Israel makes it SOO EASY for a reporter to go into Gaza and come out again with his photos and story

[StCuthbert]

There's nothing stopping reporters from going in now and getting a story. Except, unfortunately, for Hamas kidnapping or killing any reporter who is asking the wrong questions. Gotta watch out for that.

[Caru]

How... unhelpful.

[SFA]

Palestinian can do anything within their area...how is it Israel's business?????

[WBMD]

Not if they are planting bombs that will explode on the Israeli side.

[Caru]

If they were.

[RMJ50]

My gut response is that the Israeli soldiers can make up any excuse they want because they know they will be believed by their chain of command. "Looked like they were planting a bomb" is just too convenient. These Israeli patrols could wear helmet cameras to record what they see and record their conversations. Did they challenge the kids to stop? This information would go a long way in saying who is right and wrong. However, even though these Israeli's have the best air force, the best anti-missile systems, the best sigint systems, aerial drones, etc. that American money can buy, I doubt the Israeli's would accept using such a technology because it would show the truth.

[GZLives]

Too convenient?
What do you think they do and plan 24/7?

[persianadvocate]

What about the 1.5+ million they are systematically starving to death inside? Anyone want to question why these men were bird hunting? It wasn't for game...

[Jakealoper]

Starving give me a break. They elected Hamas and declared war on Israel so I guess the IDF should send in French gourmet.

[persianadvocate]

Or just let the lentils they need for their food in. Lentils make rockets? Fooled me...

[Macready]

bravo persian advocate . . .

[BabuS5]

it
probly
went down like this, Israelis felt
like
shooting and they did.

[myopinion2]

Nothing reveals how an incident "probably went down" than preconceived notions rife with bias and prejudice.

[TheLonelyGod]

Favorited.

[Nicholas Roy]

Incitefull

[thrdr]

Experience and knowledge, not bias and prejudice.

[Garioch]

You can go on probability and numbers, the numbers suggest that they'll turn out to be civilians doing nothing more offensive than normal civilians day to day activities because those make up the majority of those killed by the IDF.

[SiberianRat]

Often the case :-(

[Macready]

suspect you have just summed it very well BabuS5 . . .