GAZA, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Three Palestinians were killed Friday afternoon in an Israeli army tank shelling on military posts that belong to Islamic Hamas movement's armed wing al-Qassam Brigades, which are stationed along with Gaza Strip borders with Israel, medics, eyewitnesses and local media said.
Ashraf al-Qedra, health ministry spokesman said in a short text message that three Palestinians were killed and one critically wounded Friday afternoon after the Israeli army fired several tanks shells at eastern Gaza Strip.
He said that the first two were killed east of Khan Younis and the third one was killed east of Rafah in southern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel.
The Israeli army forces stationed on the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel fired several tanks shells into the Gaza Strip's eastern area after unknown gunmen opened fire and seriously wounded an Israeli soldier east of Rafah in southern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli media reported that one Israeli soldier was injured when gunmen from southern Gaza Strip opened fire at an Israeli army force stationed at the border between eastern Rafah town and Israel.
Local media in Gaza said that right after the Israeli army forces fired the tanks shells, militants fired three mortar shells into Israel, in response to Israeli army firing tanks shells on Gaza militants lookout posts close to the border with Israel.
On Friday, the high commission of the Great March of Return and Defying the Israeli Siege called on the Palestinians to demonstrate at five different locations in eastern Gaza close to the border with Israel.
Eyewitnesses said that Palestinian demonstrators burned tires, pulled parts of the barbed wire of the border, released dozens of arson balloons and kites from eastern Gaza into southern Israel and clashed with the Israeli soldiers stationed at the borders.
Paramedics said that at least five Palestinians were shot and wounded by Israeli troops' gunfire, while dozens were suffocated after they inhaled tear gas fired by the soldiers who are stationed at the borders area.
Tension between Israel and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has been flaring since the beginning of the rallies and protests on March 30.
Al-Qedra said in a press statement that since March 30, the Israeli army killed 144 Palestinians, including two children in an airstrike and wounded more than 16,000.
