Israeli soldiers shot dead a 9-year-old Palestinian girl this evening in the Gaza Strip near the border with Israel.
The Israeli army said troops spotted a Palestinian carrying a large bag near the border fence. Suspecting it contained explosives, the troops called on the person to stop and fired warning shots in the air.
After the person did not heed the calls and moved closer to the border, the soldiers fired again and shot the person dead, an Israeli army statement said.
A Palestinian ambulance found the girl's body hours after the incident. Palestinian policeman said she had been shot in the neck.