GAZA, May 26, 2016 (WAFA) – Israeli forces on Thursday opened gunfire towards Palestinian farmers and shepherds east of Khan Younes in the southern Gaza Strip, according to local sources.

Troops stationed in military watchtowers near the border area between the besieged enclave and Israel, opened fire on Palestinian farmers and shepherds while at work in farmlands adjacent to the Gaza-Israel border.

Israeli military forces routinely open fire on Palestinian farmers in the Gaza Strip near the “buffer zone,” which lies on the border between the besieged enclave and Israel, despite a ceasefire agreement that ended the 2014 Israeli aggression.

Due to the high frequency of the attacks, live fire often goes unreported.

While Israel typically cites security concerns when targeting Palestinian agricultural areas, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights has reported in the past that Palestinians are often targeted when they pose no threat.

Approximately 35 percent of Palestinian agricultural land in Gaza is inaccessible without high personal risk, according to the center.

M.N