Palestinian child shot dead on way to buy sweets

AL-MUGHRAQA, Gaza Strip, June 12 (Reuters) - Hussein al-Matwi's short, hard life in a Gaza Strip tent village ended as he went out to get a rare treat: sweets.

Israeli gunfire from a nearby Jewish settlement killed the eight-year-old boy on Tuesday evening, Palestinian security sources said, and wounded another young resident of al-Mughraqa, a mostly bedouin Palestinian village.

The Israeli army said troops at Netzarim settlement were returning fire after being shot at. Hours later, troops killed four Palestinian gunmen closing in to attack Netzarim, just south of Gaza City.

Whether the gunmen hailed from Mughraqa or just came by way of it, villagers on Wednesday felt more vulnerable than ever.

Matwi's mother, Selmia, described the boy dying as he went out on the most mundane of children's missions.

"He was crying and he wanted to buy some sweets, but soon he was about to step outside the tent, bullets sprayed the whole area," Selmia told Reuters.

"'Get down, kids,' I shouted. Hussein came in, putting his hand on his chest, which was bleeding."

At least 1,394 Palestinians and 509 Israelis have been killed since the Palestinians rose up against Israeli occupation in September 2000 after peace talks stalled. Hundreds of children are among the dead.