Palestinian dies of wounds sustained near Israel fence

A Palestinian youth has reportedly succumbed to injuries he sustained last week while taking part in ongoing demonstrations near the Gaza-Israel fence.

In a statement, Gaza's Health Ministry said Ahmed Ziad al-Assi, 21, had died of his injuries late Thursday, bringing the total number of Palestinian protesters to have been killed by Israeli army gunfire to 128 since the demonstrations began in late March.

According to the ministry, al-Assi was shot in the head last week east of Gaza's southern city of Khan Yunis by Israeli troops deployed on the other side of the fence.

Since March 30, Palestinian protesters have been staging large sit-ins and demonstrations along the security fence to which Israeli troops have responded with teargas and gunfire.

Protesters demand the "right of return" to their homes and villages in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.

They also demand an end of Israel's decade-long blockade of Gaza, which has gutted the coastal territory's economy and continues to deprive its two million inhabitants of many basic commodities.