Israeli forces shoot dead two Palestinians

GAZA, June 30 (Reuters): Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinians, one of them a 14-year-old boy, and wounded 415 others with live fire and tear gas during protests along the Gaza border on Friday.

Gaza medical officials said the boy, Yasser Abu Al-Naja and Mohammad Al-Hamayda, 24, were hit by live bullets. They added that four other men wounded by live fire were in critical condition.

The Israeli military said in a statement that troops had used "large amounts of riot dispersal means". In some cases, when the non-lethal means proved ineffective, live fire was used "in accordance with the standard operating procedures".

It said thousands of Palestinians had "participated in extremely violent riots", hurling a grenade and rocks at troops and the border fence and burning tires.

It said the reported death of the boy would be investigated and that legal action could be taken, if appropriate.

Gaza officials say Israeli troops have killed at least 135 people since the weekly protests began on March 30.