Hundreds at funeral of killed Palestinian boy

GAZA CITY; 29 Sep 2018; Gaza Strip (AP) — Hundreds have attended the funeral of an 11-year-old Palestinian boy, apparently the youngest killed by Israeli fire in six months of protests along Gaza’s perimeter fence.

Nasser Musabeh was among seven protesters who Gaza health officials say were killed by Israeli troops near the fence Friday.

Protests began in March and recently accelerated after the latest failure to negotiate an easing of Gaza’s 11-year-old border blockade. Israel and Egypt imposed the closure after the Islamic militant Hamas seized Gaza in 2007.

Friday marked the deadliest day of protests since mid-May when 60 Palestinians were killed.

Gaza health officials initially said Musabeh was 12. However, his family gave his date of birth as Dec. 29, 2006.

Another 11-year-old was previously killed in unclear circumstances in the protests by a blunt object.