A Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli fire during fresh clashes along the Gaza border Friday, the health ministry in the enclave said. Ehab Abed, 25, was “killed by Israeli occupation fire east of Rafah,” in southern Gaza, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said in a statement. An AFP journalist at the hospital said he had been shot in the heart. Thousands of people gathered at multiple sites along the border, with Israeli forces using tear gas and live fire to force protesters back from the border. Friday’s protests were the first since the seeming breakdown of an informal truce agreement between Israel and Gaza rulers Hamas. That deal had seen Qatar provide $15 million in funds monthly to Gaza via Israeli territory. On Thursday Hamas said it would no longer accept the money, saying Israel was not respecting the agreement.
Published in Daily Times, January 26th 2019.