Palestinian killed, 6 hurt near Gaza-Israel buffer zone

By Hedayat al-Saidi</p> <p>GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – A Palestinian youth was killed by Israeli army gunfire on Friday while taking part in ongoing demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel buffer zone, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.</p> <p>In a statement, the ministry said that Karam Fayyad, a 26-year-old Palestinian, had been shot dead by Israeli troops east of Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis.<br> </p> <p>Another six Palestinians, including a journalist and a paramedic, were injured, the ministry said.</p> <p>Last Friday, four Palestinians were killed — including a minor — while taking part in the rallies along the buffer zone.</p> <p>Earlier this week, Palestinian resistance factions warned Israel against “committing crimes against Palestinian demonstrators taking part in peaceful protests”. </p> <p>Demonstrators demand the right to return to their homes and villages in historical Palestine, from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel. </p> <p>They also demand an end to Israel’s 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its roughly two million inhabitants of many basic commodities. </p> <p>Since the rallies began on March 30, more than 250 Palestinians have been killed — and thousands more injured — by Israeli troops deployed near the buffer zone.