<\/p>\n
Four armed Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli forces Saturday 10 August, after they attempted to cross the Gaza-Israel separation fence. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to a <\/span>statement<\/span><\/a> by the Israeli military on Twitter, the four men were heavily armed with assault rifles, anti-tank missiles and hand grenades, one of which, allegedly, was thrown at Israeli troops.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The statement continued, saying that Israeli forces opened fire when one of the men attempted to cross into Israel. No Israeli casualties were reported. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Israeli army spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus<\/span> told reporters<\/span><\/a> at a press conference that the "organisation affiliation" of the four individuals remained unknown. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, he blamed the Islamist group Hamas, which controls Gaza, for being "responsible and accountable for any acts of violence emanating from the Gaza Strip whether they were Hamas operatives or not Hamas operatives."<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hamas issued a statement on Saturday rejecting any involvement, describing the four men‘s actions as an "individual act by angry youths" reacting to Israel‘s 12-year blockade of Gaza. No Palestinian group has yet claimed responsibility.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n