Israeli soldiers stationed on the central Gaza Strip border with Israel shot dead a Palestinian farmer Monday morning, paramedics and witnesses reported. The farmer was heading as usual to his farm near the border, east of the al-Bureij refugee camp, when shot, the witnesses were quoted as saying by DPA. An Israeli army spokeswoman said soldiers patrolling the border fence spotted a Palestinian who was "crawling suspiciously" in the direction of the fence. She said the soldiers suspected him of planting an explosive and opened fire.