Israeli troops killed seven Palestinians, including two boys aged 12 and 14, and wounded dozens more in the deadliest day in recent weeks, the Gaza Health Ministry said.
Nasser Mosabih, 12, was shot in the head in clashes along the frontier east of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told AFP, on what was one of the bloodiest days since protests began on March 30.
Fourteen-year-old Mohammed al-Houm, was shot dead "by live ammunition from the (Israeli) occupation forces" east of Al-Bureij in central Gaza, Qudra said.
Five adult men were also killed in widespread clashes along the border, with a further 210 people hospitalized, the spokesman added.
All the dead had gunshot wounds. At least 90 other protesters were wounded by live fire, officials said.
The Israeli army said some 20,000 "rioters" had gathered at multiple sites along the border.
It said troops were firing "in accordance with standard operating procedures."
The army declined to comment on the reported deaths.
Hamas has led weekly protests since March, but accelerated them in recent weeks to near-daily events, pressing in large part for an end to a crippling Israeli blockade imposed after Hamas's violent takeover of Gaza in 2007. Hamas ousted forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in an armed coup.
At the fence, protesters burned dozens of tires, using the thick black smoke as a screen to throw rocks and explosives toward Israeli troops stationed on the opposite side of the fence. The soldiers responded with tear gas and gunfire.
The Israeli military said in a statement that in response to "grenades and explosive devices" hurled at troops during the protests, Israeli aircraft carried out two airstrikes on Hamas militant positions in the Gaza Strip. There were no Israeli casualties reported in Friday's clashes.
Hamas has led and organized the protests, but turnout has also been driven by growing despair over blockade-linked hardship, including lengthy power cuts and soaring unemployment.
Israeli troops have killed at least 191 Palestinians since protests began in late March, and a Palestinian sniper killed an Israeli soldier in August.
Israel argues it's defending its border and accuses Hamas of using the protests as a screen for attempts to breach the border fence to attack civilians and soldiers. Human rights groups have accused Israeli troops of excessive and unlawful use of force against unarmed protesters.
Hamas and Israel came to the brink of serious conflict this summer as violence escalated along the border. The two sides attempted to reach an agreement through indirect talks mediated by the United Nations and Egypt to ease tensions in exchange for lifting some restrictions on the economically crippled enclave. But those negotiations have stalled in recent weeks.
