Israel army shoots dead first Gazan since truce

Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian farmer near the border in northern Gaza on Sunday in the first deadly shooting since an August truce ended a 50-day military offensive, medics said.

Emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra identified the dead man as Fadel Mohammed Halawa, 32, saying the bullet had hit him in the back.

Qudra said the bullet appeared to have been fired from a nearby army watchtower at a man who was farming land near the border fence.

The Israeli army said two Palestinians had approached the fence and had ignored calls to halt, prompting troops to fire warning shots in the air. 

"Once they didn't comply, they fired towards their lower extremities. There was one hit," a spokeswoman said.

The army did not confirm the man's death and had no comment on reports he was shot in back. 

It was the first time a Palestinian from Gaza had been killed by Israeli fire since an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians was agreed on August 26. 

Following the initial truce agreement, the sides were supposed to have resumed talks on some of the thornier outstanding issues within a month, but the deadline has been repeatedly delayed. 

The Israeli offensive, which lasted from 7 July to 26 August, left 2,160 Palestinians dead – the vast majority of them civilians – and more than 11,000 injured.