Israeli troops kill two Palestinians

GAZA: Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians and wounded 12 in renewed unrest on the Gaza-Israel border on Friday as a series of protests in the enclave reached its half-way mark.

Some Palestinians brought wire-cutters to cut through the border fence. As the crowd grew, Israeli soldiers called out warnings in Arabic over loudspeakers to individuals who approached the border fence.

Despite the warnings, two Palestinians were killed and 12 wounded by Israeli gunfire, Palestinian health officials said, bringing the death toll in the past few weeks of protests to at least 33. Several hundred people have also been wounded by Israeli sharpshooters.

Away from the border, Israeli-American Hollywood actress Natalie Portman announced she would not attend a ceremony in Israel to accept a million-dollar prize because of "distressing" events in the country. The protests have been staged every Friday for the past month to push demands for Palestinian refugees to regain ancestral homes in what is now Israel.

They are expected to culminate on May 15. The Israeli military had no comment on the latest events. The use of live fire has drawn international criticism but Israel says it is protecting its borders and takes such action when protesters come too close to the border fence.

It accuses Hamas, the Islamist group which rules Gaza, of staging riots and trying to carry out attacks. Although the main protest campaign is intended to be peaceful, Gazans have hurled stones and burning tyres near the border fence.

Some protesters on Friday fitted kites with cans of flammable liquids which they hoped to fly across the border and start fires in Israel. "We aim to distract the soldiers from shooting and wounding or killing our people.