Palestinian teenager 'shot in the back' by Egyptian military, local authorities claim

Gaza emergency spokesperson and Hamas claimed that the teenager 'died on the spot'

A Palestinian waits to cross the border at Rafah in December 2014 (EPA)

Conflicting reports are emerging that a Palestinian boy has been shot dead by the Egyptian military on the Rafah border between the Gaza strip and Egypt.

Hamas officials condemned the killing of 17-year-old Zaki Hopi, releasing a statement to Al Arabiya News claiming the actions were a “dangerous development” and “not appropriate to neighbourly relations”.

Gaza emergency services spokesperson also confirmed the death of the boy, adding that initial reports identifying Mr Hopi as a 23-year-old were mistaken.

Border troops shot the teenager “in the back and the bullet settled in the heart. He died on the spot,” he told AFP. Mr Hopi was later taken to Abu Yusif al-Najjar hospital in Rafah.

Three other Palestinian individuals were involved in the incident, Ma’an New Agency reported.

Witnesses claim that the three additional individuals were arrested by Egyptian authorities, although it remains unclear what provoked the violence.

The Rafah border crossing is Gaza’s only access to the outside world not controlled by Israel but the crossing has been closed since 24 October after a suicide bombing that killed 30 Egyptian soldiers.

Egypt announced last week it will double the width of the 500-metre buffer zone along 10km of the 12km border to prevent militants entering the Palestinian enclave.

Egypt suspects these militants also aid jihadist attacks on its own security forces and has increased the destruction of tunnels from Gaza, it claims are used by Hamas.