Funerals held for Gaza boy killed by Israel fire

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – A Palestinian teen died Saturday, the Gaza Strip, Gaza Strip. of an 11-year-old boy and a man on crutches also killed in this demonstration

More than 140 Palestinians, most of them unarmed, have been killed and several thousand wounded by Israeli fire in border protests led by Gaza's Islamic activist Hamas rulers since March.

Human rights groups have accused Israel of unlawful use of lethal force against the protesters. Israel says it is defending its borders and accuses Hamas, a group sworn to its destruction,

Gaza's Health Ministry said Saturday that Moumin al-Hams , 17, was shot in the chest at the protest on Friday along the fence that separates Gaza and Israel.

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Funerals were held on Saturday for Majdi al-Satari, 11, with Ghazi Abu Mustafa, 43. Both had been killed at Friday's rally.

The Health Ministry initially gave Majdi's age on 14. On Saturday, it was said that he was born on Oct. 3, 2006, meaning he was 11 when he was killed. Al-Mezan, Gaza-based rights groups, confirmed Majdi's age 11.

Alaa Abdel-Fattah said he was witnessing the boy's death on Friday. He said protesters were trying to cut razor wire about 50 yards away from the actual fence. He said Majdi was watching from about 100 meters away. There were two gunshots from a sniper. One of those mentions the wire in the leg and the other gunshot the boy in his head, "he said.

Women gathered under the corrugated zinc roofing of the al-Satari's family's house for the funeral.

Majdi's mother, Kholoud, wearing a black dress and face veil, sat on a mattress

"I do not know what he did to the Israeli soldiers," she said as she burst in tears. She added that her family tried to prevent him from trying to lock him indoors. "It's his fate," she sighed.

"He is a child. He had no bullets or weapons, "said the boy's grandmother, identified as Umm Ramzi. "He was standing like all children watching. They shot him from afar. Is not he a child? Why are they targeting children? "

In the near town, mourners held a funeral for the 43-year-old killed in the same protest.

Hassan Najjar said he had witnessed that shooting.

He said soldiers shot at a group of Palestinians who rushed to the border and shot the man sitting about 250 meters away.

Hamas has led the protesters in the Gaza Strip in protest against the Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.

] The demonstrations have been fueled in large part by pervasive despair caused by the blockade which has caused widespread economic hardship

Last week in the Palestinian sniper killed an Israeli soldier. Another soldier was wounded by Palestinian fire on Wednesday

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Associated Press Writer Fares Akram reported from Amman, Jordan

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