An aide to Israel's internal security minister has been shot and wounded by a Palestinian fighter as he and the minister toured an observation point overlooking the Gaza Strip.

 

The Israeli military said that one person was moderately injured after shots were fired from Gaza on Friday, but did not identify the victim.

Witnesses identified the injured man as Matti Gil, the chief aide to Avi Dichter, the internal security minister.

 

Mazal Baba, a hospital spokeswoman, said he was shot in the groin and was in a stable condition.

 

Dichter was unhurt in the incident.

Israel Radio said Dichter and Gil had taken a group of Canadian Jews to the overlook near the town of Sderot to familiarise them with the situation in southern Israeli communities bordering Gaza, which have come under frequent Palestinian rocket fire.

 

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A member of the group told Israel Radio that while Dichter was speaking, a volley of gunfire burst forth for about 30 seconds, wounding Gil.

 

Israeli troops immediately returned fire and army radio reported that tanks and bulldozers entered Gaza after the shooting.

 

This was the second time in recent weeks that an aide to Dichter has been hurt in a Palestinian attack.

 

In late February, a Dichter bodyguard was lightly wounded in a rocket attack on southern Israel as he prepared for the minister to visit.