Description

An archive photo of Israeli soldiers during maintenance work at the security fence with Gaza. Photo by Eliyahu Hershkovitz

Palestinian rescue members evacuate residents using a fishing boat following heavy rains in Gaza City, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013. Rescue workers evacuated more than 5,000 Gaza Strip residents from homes flooded by four days of heavy rain, using fishing boats and heavy construction equipment to pluck some of those trapped from upper floors, an official said Saturday. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) The Associated Press

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By Gili Cohen and Jack Khoury for Haaretz | Dec. 14, 2013 | 9:50 PM |

Israeli soldiers on Saturday shot a Palestinian man who approached the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip.

An IDF spokesman said that the Palestinian entered the buffer zone on the Palestinian side, an area declared by Israel off limits, when he was identified by the troops.

The military confirmed that the man was hit, but the nature of his injury was still unclear.

Palestinian reports claim that the man, 23, was hit after an Israeli force fired at homes in a village near Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. They confirmed he was taken to a Gaza hospital to receive treatment.

Two weeks ago, a Border Police volunteer shot dead a Palestinian suspected of illegally entering Israel. Border Police said in a statement the volunteer opened fire when the suspect tried to stab him.