Children among Palestinian dead in Israeli strike
Monday, 28 Apr 2008 16:52
Four young children killed in Israeli Gaza strike
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Four young children are reported to be among seven Palestinians killed by Israeli tank fire in the north of the Gaza Strip.
According to health officials, tank shells targeted a house in Beit Hanoun, killing three other people.
The children's mother later died in hospital after being wounded in the attack.
According to reports the family were eating breakfast when the shells struck, with the two other victims being named locally as farmers close to the territory's perimeter fences.
The Israeli army told the Al-Jazeera news agency that the house had not been the target of its strike and that armed men had been seen nearby on Monday morning.
Palestinian militants frequently use northern Gaza settlements to fire rockets into Israeli territory.
A spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Forces confirmed there had been no reports of casualties in Israel following the rocket-fire which prompted the tank response.
But an Israeli soldier was treated for minor wounds after being injured by a Hamas spokesman, the spokesperson added.
According to unofficial tallies, more than 400 people, mostly Palestinians, have been killed since last November's peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland.
During the talks, Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas agreed to find a lasting resolution to the Middle East peace process before George Bush leaves the White House this year.