Gaza man reported killed by Israeli gunfire during protest

GAZA, Palestinian Territory – Gaza’s Health Ministry says a Palestinian has been killed by Israeli gunfire during a protest along the territory’s frontier with Israel.

The ministry says 23-year-old Ahmed al-Qarra was struck with a bullet in his stomach Friday and died at the hospital. It is the first fatality since June related to weekly protests along the perimeter fence separating Gaza from Israel.

The militant group Hamas that controls Gaza has scaled back the marches in recent months as an Egyptian-brokered unofficial cease-fire was taking shape. But Hamas says Israel is slowing the deal and hasn’t taken enough measures to ease the crippling economic conditions in the coastal enclave.

Hamas launched the protests last year to protest against a 12-year-long Israeli-Egyptian economic blockade.