GAZA CITY - A 60-year-old Palestinian man was shot dead and three other pensioners were badly injured when Israeli troops opened fire in the southern Gaza Strip late yesterday, Palestinian medical sources told AFP.

Salim Dayumi was walking just outside his home when a sudden burst of gunfire erupted from an Israeli tank, they said.

He was critically injured in the chest and died shortly afterwards.

Three other elderly Palestinians, a man and two women all aged between 60 and 65, were also badly wounded in the same incident, they said.

Palestinian security sources said it was not clear why the tank opened fire in their direction. The army was not initially able to comment on the incident but said it was checking for details.