INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A fourth Palestinian was shot dead during protests along the frontier with IsraelGaza City, Palestinian Territories: Israeli aircraft and
tanks hit targets across the Gaza Strip Friday after shots were fired at troops on the border, the army said, with Hamas reporting three
members of its military wing killed.A fourth Palestinian was shot dead during protests along the frontier with Israel, Gaza's health
The flare-up is the latest in months of tensions that have ratcheted up fears of a wider conflict between Israel and Gaza's rulers Hamas,
who have fought three wars since 2008.An Israeli army statement said shots were fired at troops during renewed protests along the
Gaza-Israel frontier and "in response aircraft and tanks targeted military targets throughout the Gaza Strip."It did not say if any Israeli
soldiers were hurt in the shooting.Two Palestinians were killed in a strike east of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, the health ministry in the
enclave said.A third man was killed by Israeli fire east of Rafah, also in southern Gaza, the ministry said.The military wing of Islamist
group Hamas named the three men as Shaban abu Khatar, Mohammed abu Farhana and Mahmoud Qushta, saying they were fighters.Israel's military
said its aircraft and tanks had targeted "eight military posts" belonging to Hamas.A fourth man named as Mohammed Badwan was later shot dead
by Israeli forces during protests along the border, Gaza's health ministry said.Netanyahu in emergency briefingIsraeli media reported Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was receiving an emergency briefing from the army on the situation.Last weekend saw the most severe exchange of
fire between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since a 2014 war, raising worries of another round of conflict.Israel hit dozens of
sites it said belonged to militants in the Gaza Strip in Saturday's strikes, killing two Palestinian teenagers.The same day, around 200
rockets and mortars were fired at Israel from Gaza and four Israelis were wounded when a rocket hit a house in the nearby Israeli city of
Sderot.Since protests broke out on March 30, at least 149 Palestinians have been killed.Most were shot during demonstrations and clashes
along the border, but others were killed in air strikes or by tank fire.No Israelis have been killed.For more than a week, Israel has been
hardening its response to kites and incendiary balloons launched from Gaza, which authorities say have set ablaze more than 2,600 hectares
on Israeli territory.In recent days, the Israeli army has opened fire at groups launching such devices.Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor
Lieberman has raised the threat of a large-scale operation in the Gaza Strip if Hamas does not stop the kites and balloons being
launched.Israeli television this week broadcast footage of army training manoeuvres for an incursion into the Gaza Strip.Netanyahu also
conducted a tour along the border region for the first time since the start of the clashes.Government officials such as Education Minister
Naftali Bennett and Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan have called for systematic attacks on kite launchers.Israel has also further
tightened its blockade of Gaza by closing the only goods crossing, suspending oil and gas deliveries.(This story has not been edited by
TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
