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Israeli army shelling kills 3 Gaza fighters

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GAZA: Israeli tank shelling killed three members of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, medical officials said, after weeks of border protests that have drawn lethal army fire.


Israel’s military confirmed the strike, saying it targeted an observation post in response to a bomb that had been placed next to the border fence overnight. Video issued on the military’s Twitter feed showed the bomb being detonated safely.


The group operates with a measure of independence from Hamas, the group that has controlled Gaza since 2007 and fought three wars against Israel.


Hostilities over the frontier have soared since Palestinians began mass demonstrations on March 30, which Israel deems to be cover for attempts to breach the border fence.


At least 115 Palestinians have been killed and thousands hurt by army gunfire in the protests, drawing foreign censure.


Organisers said they would ramp up demonstrations on Tuesday with a flotilla of boats that would set off from Gaza in an attempt to break Israel’s maritime blockade of the enclave.


“Gaza has become a big, isolated prison, deprived of minimal rights, because of the unjust Israeli siege,” they said in a statement, referring to clampdowns by Israel and neighbour Egypt.


In the latest move, Israel’s Defence Ministry said that work had started on a maritime wall that would block infiltration by seaborne Palestinian fighters from north Gaza.


Meanwhile, Kensington Palace announced that Prince William will make an official visit to Israel and Palestine, as part of a tour in June.


William will begin his tour in Jordan on June 24 and travel on to Tel Aviv the following day, the Palace, his official residence, said in a statement.


He will visit Jerusalem on June 26 and then go on to Ramallah on June 27.


The visit by the second in line to the throne “is at the request of Her Majesty’s government and has been welcomed by the Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian authorities”, the statement said.


There have been no previous official visits by members of the British royal family to Palestine.


— Agencies


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