By Xinhua
Gaza : A Palestinian farmer was shot dead on Friday by Israeli soldiers in his Gaza fields along the border with Israel, local medics said.
The young farmer named Bahjat Abu Daqqa was shot fatally wounded by Israeli fire east of Khan Yunis from an army position along the border fence, according to the sources.
Meanwhile, Abu Daqqa’s cousin, who is also a farmer, was also shot wounded.
The Israeli military gave no immediate confirmation about the incident, but said it was looking into it.
On Thursday, Gaza-based Palestinian militant groups claimed their responsibilities for firing rounds of mortar shells and home-made rockets into Israeli targets alongside the Gaza Strip.
The escalation came as Israel threatens to launch a large-scale offensive against the Hamas-run Gaza Strip in response to the continuation of the rocket firing.