A Palestinian man among a group of Gaza protesters throwing burning tires and setting off firecrackers during a demonstration at the Gaza border on Sunday was fatally shot by Israeli forces, officials in the Gaza Strip said.
An Israel Defense Forces spokesman said "hundreds of rioters and demonstrators" had gathered along the border.
"The rioters were burning tires and hurling burning tires and firecrackers," the spokesman said, adding that the soldiers "responded with riot dispersal means" and operated "in accordance with standard operating procedures."
Gaza's Health Ministry said one Palestinian was shot dead and 20 others wounded. The man who was killed belonged to a group that systematically creates diversions using burning tires and firecrackers to distract Israeli soldiers, medical officials said.
As the violent clashes continued, Hamas operatives continued to launch remote arson attacks on southern Israel. Balloons carrying incendiary devices were launched over the Gaza border fence, sparking 12 wildfires in southern Israel.
In a slight deviation from the customary firebombs used by Gaza arson terrorists in recent months, balloons carrying more sophisticated explosives detonated over the Kissufim forest in southern Israel. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Firefighter Hamad Abu Siam witnessed the explosion.
"I was looking up and I saw a bunch of balloons. Something fell and I heard an explosion. I realized that it was apparently explosives that had been tied to the balloons. I talked with the army, and they arrived on the scene," Abu Siam told Israel Hayom.
The Israel Police reported that military personnel had ensured that the area was safe. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit told Israel Hayom that they were not aware of a mass balloon detonation, despite the fact that soldiers had been scrambled to the scene and there is footage of the balloons exploding.
On Monday, Israeli Air Force aircraft executed a strike on a Hamas cell responsible for sending balloons into Israel.
Also on Monday, several dozen vessels attempted to sail from the Gaza Strip toward Israel. Once the boats were close to the maritime border, demonstrators on board set tires on fire. The IDF responded by firing shots in the air and at the boats, in accordance with live fire regulations.
With no end to the months of violence in sight, Gaza's Hamas rulers have announced a halt to their indirect cease-fire talks with Israel, which have been brokered by Egypt and the United Nations.
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri on Sunday blamed the impasse on the Palestinian Authority, which has voiced its strong opposition to the talks.
Abu Zuhri said that in response, his Islamist group would escalate its protests in new locations along Gaza's border with Israel.
