Israeli fire wounds AP cameraman, 24 Palestinians: ministry

Israeli fire wounded a cameraman for the Associated Press news agency and 24 other Palestinians during protests Monday in northern Gaza, the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave said.

Rashed Rashid was shot in his left ankle while filming hundreds of Palestinians who were protesting on a beach by the border fence near Beit Lahia, a spokesman for the ministry said.

The cameraman was taken to hospital. His condition was not immediately known.

Demonstrations have taken place in this area on Mondays since Palestinians began a wider protest movement in late March against a decade-long Israeli blockade of Gaza.

Protesters are calling to be allowed to return to the homes their families fled or were expelled from in the 1948 war surrounding the creation of Israel and which are now inside the Jewish state.

At least 235 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire or air strikes since the protests began more than seven months ago.