Sunday, June 17 3:30 AM SGT

Palestinian child killed by other Palestinians in Gaza Strip

GAZA CITY, June 16 (AFP) -

A 12-year-old Palestinian was shot dead late Saturday in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah when residents tried to prevent armed Palestinians from opening fire on an Israeli position, a Palestinian security official said.

Soliman Al-Masri was killed and three other Palestinians from Rafah, including a doctor, were injured in the Tel el-Sultan neighbourhood, when residents tried to stop a group of masked men from firing on a nearby Israeli position, the source said.

Orders have been given to arrest Palestinians described as "outlaws" for attacking Israeli soldiers "in violation of orders by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat," the same sources added.

The Israelis and the Palestinians agreed on a ceasefire on June 13, following US mediation.

Masri's death is the first incident of this kind since the Palestinian uprising, or intifada erupted on September 28, bringing the death toll to 612: 483 Palestinians, 110 Israelis, 13 Israeli Arabs and six Europeans.

-- Anonymous, June 17, 2001