Palestinian teenager dies after clashes in Gaza

A 17-year-old teenager died on Tuesday night of his wounds sustained in eastern Gaza on Friday, medics said.

Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the Health Ministry, told reporters that Hassan Noufal died in a hospital in Gaza city of critical wounds he had from an Israeli army tear gas canister that hit his head during clashes on Friday between hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza close to the border with Israel.

Al-Qedra had earlier told reporters that Israeli soldiers stationed at the maritime border with northern Gaza Strip opened fire and wounded at least five Palestinians; two of them were seriously wounded.

He added that dozens suffered suffocation after inhaling tear gas fired by the soldiers. "Those injured by live gunshots were referred to the hospitals and others with light injuries and tear gas suffocation were treated by field paramedics," he said.

On Tuesday afternoon, clashes broke out in northern Gaza Strip at the maritime border with Israel, according to eyewitnesses, who said that around 2,000 demonstrators joined the protests.