GAZA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Gaza Health Ministry said that a 45-year-old Palestinian was critically wounded in his neck Tuesday by Israeli soldiers' gunfire in northwestern Gaza Strip, not far from the border with Israel.

Ashraf al-Qedra, Health Ministry spokesman in Gaza, told reporters that Amin Hamdouna was shot in his neck and is in critical condition.

Hamdouna was shot as he was driving a bulldozer in northern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel. He was bulldozing the ground and paving for protesters who arrived at the area to join anti-Israel rally, according to eyewitnesses.

Meanwhile, the Gaza-based high commission of the weekly protest, the "Great March of Return," called on the Gaza people to join the weekly maritime rallies on Tuesday afternoon.

The maritime rallies have stopped for three weeks due to the cold weather and heavy rains, where the high commission decided to resume it.

Since March 30 last year, the Palestinians have been carrying out weekly anti-Israel rallies and protests on Friday and maritime rallies on Monday or Tuesday.

The Israeli army has shot dead more than 250 Palestinians and wounded at least 25,000 others, most of whom were injured by Israeli soldiers' gunfire, said al-Qedra.