JERUSALEM, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers Thursday when they approached the northern Gaza border fence to plant explosives, the army said.
Palestinians in Gaza said the three were shot and killed before dawn near the former Israeli settlement of Dugi, the Palestinian Ma'an News Agency said.
The army said soldiers opened fire after the three were spotted near the border fence allegedly planning to carry out an attack.
Israel later permitted Palestinian medics to enter the area and retrieve the bodies, Adham Abu Salmiya, spokesman for medical and emergency services, told the Palestinian news agency.
The three were identified as Jihad Khalaf, 20, Tala'at ar-Ruwagh, 25, and Ashraf Eqrtefan, 29, Ma'an said.
A spokesman for the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine said one of its members was killed "during a mission carried out by our military wing."
