Israeli forces stationed on Gaza borders opened fire at Palestinian farmers Wednesday, critically wounding a woman, witnesses and medical sources said.

The 42-year-old woman was working on her land near the eastern edge of central Gaza Strip when she received several gunshots, the witnesses added.

Israel has established a buffer zone along its borders with the Gaza Strip, saying the aim was to distance militants from the security fence separating the two territories. However, Palestinians say the 300-meter wide no-go area takes most of Gaza' s agricultural land.

In the West Bank, meanwhile, Israeli settlers torched a Palestinian car and vandalized others, writing slogans threatening Arabs with revenge, witnesses and security sources said.

Israel was checking out how the settlers entered the Jilazoun refugee camp near Ramallah.

In a separate incident also in the West Bank, the Israeli army arrested five Palestinians in routine raids in the cities of Hebron, Nablus and Tulkarem.