Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinian teenagers in the Gaza Strip today during a clash with protesters who hurled stones and petrol bombs,medical sources said.
Israeli forces also shot dead a member of the Palestinian security forces near the Netzarim settlement in Gaza, after Israel carried out air strikes against Palestinian targets, the army and Palestinian hospital officials said.
The army confirmed only the death near Netzarim.Military officials said they knew of no other deaths in Gaza.
Palestinian witnesses said the two youths were killed and several others were wounded when about 50 protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails at an army post on a hill near the Erez crossing with Israel.
Troops responded with rubber bullets and teargas, military officials said.
Although they said they knew of no deaths, the military officials said soldiers fired live ammunition into the leg of one protester, who was apparently armed with a bottle of petrol primed with a blazing rag as he approached the military post.
At least 359 Palestinians, 13 Israeli Arabs and 69 other Israelis have been killed since violence erupted in late September after peace talks became deadlocked.