Israeli soldiers shoot 2 in northern Gaza

Israeli soldiers shot and injured two Palestinians on Monday asthey were collecting stones from fields in the northern Gaza Strip, a medical officialsaid.Gaza Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said two men were taken toKamal Idwan hospital after being shot by Israeli troops near the Erez crossing.Israeli soldiers stationed at monitoring posts by the crossing opened fire at the menas they collected stones in nearby fields, according to (Ma’an) news agency.Both men were moderately injured.An Israeli army spokeswoman said that a few Palestinians entered a prohibited areaand were acting “suspiciously and meddling with the ground.”“Soldiers fired warning shots and then fired at their lower extremities and one hitwas confirmed,” she added.Many Gazans in the besieged coastal enclave collect small stones in order to makegravel for concrete due to a shortage caused by Israel’s blockade.Israeli forces frequently shoot at farmers and other civilians inside the Gaza Strip ifthey approach large swathes of land near the border that the Israeli military hasdeemed off-limits to Palestinians.The “security buffer zone” extends between 500 meters and 1500 meters into theStrip, effectively turning local farms into no-go zones. Source: QNA