A Palestinian boy died early Saturday, hours after being shot by Israeli troops in northern Gaza Strip, a health official said.

Mo'aweya Hassanein, Gaza emergency chief, said 15-year-old Ghazi al-Za'aneen died from his severe wounds at the Shifa hospital.

Witnesses said the boy was injured when the Israeli forces opened fire at a car traveling in the border town of Beit Hanoun after sunset Friday.

The boy's father was driving the car and heading for his field which is not far from the security fence that separates Gaza and Israel, the witnesses said.

On Friday, Palestinian militants fired a home-made rocket at Israel from northern Gaza Strip.

Israeli sources said the soldiers stationed near the fence opened fire at the place which they believed the rocket had been fired from.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip remains relatively quiet since Israel ended its major military offensive in December and January in which more than 1,300 Palestinians were killed.

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2009)