Israeli troops stationed near the border between northern Gaza Strip and Israel on Wednesday shot and wounded a Palestinian young man, witnesses and medics said.

Gaza emergency chief Mo'aweya Hassanein said the Palestinian was injured when Israeli soldiers stationed east of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun fired, adding that he was in moderate condition.

The soldiers opened intensive gunfire at the farmers's area, causing fire to large fields of wheat and barley, and firefighters managed to put out the fire, according to witnesses.

Earlier on Wednesday, six Palestinians were injured after Israeli forces entered some hundreds of meters deep into the northern Gaza Strip, medical sources and fighters said.

Two of the wounded were fighters affiliated to al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades of Fatah, and four Palestinian civilians were injured after Israeli tanks fired several shells to the West of Beit Lahiya which borders Israel, hospital officials said.

The security situation in the Gaza Strip has been unstable since Israel ended its three-week major military offensive against the coastal enclave on January 18.

(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2009)