Israeli youth dies of wounds from Gaza rocket fire

A 22 year-old Israeli who was severely wounded from a rocket attack in south-central Israel succumbed to his wounds Friday, media reported.

Netanel Maman from Gan Yavne was being hospitalised for the past week following his injury from a rocket fire last Friday, Xinhua reported citing the Ynet news website. With this, the Israeli death toll amid Israel's Operation Protective Edge reached 71.

He was hurt as he was sitting with his brother, who was slightly injured, in a car when a rocket exploded on a nearby road.

Maman, who was an active-duty soldier, had previously fought inside Gaza during Israel's two-week ground incursion in the strip in the middle of July.

More than 4,450 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip at communities throughout Israel during Operation Protective Edge, which started July 8 and ended with an unlimited ceasefire agreement Aug 26, according to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).

More than 2,100 Palestinians died in the Gaza Strip after the Israeli military struck more than 5,000 targets by air and with artillery fire, and more than half a million people in the coastal enclave have been displaced. Over 10,000 Palestinians were injured and great damages were caused to infrastructure.

In Israel, 64 soldiers died during the ground incursion into the Strip and seven citizens were killed in rocket and mortar attacks in south and south central Israel. More than 500 Israelis - both soldiers and citizens - were wounded, and thousands fled from their homes in southern communities during the seven-week campaign.