Gaza: 8 Palestinians killed in two Israeli attacks

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Gaza: 8 Palestinians killed in two Israeli attacks

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So far, as many as eight innocent Palestinians have been so far killed by Israeli forces.

23 March,2011 03:20 am

Israeli strikes killed four Palestinian militants bringing the total number of people killed to eight in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, in the deadliest day of conflict in the enclave in months. Palestinian medics said four of those killed in an Israeli shelling included a 12, 16 and 17-year-old playing football, and an adult relative, and that four militants were killed later in an airstrike elsewhere in the Gaza Strip.Israel killed four militants of the Islamic Jihad group in the airstrike east of Gaza City. In the earlier shelling, Israels military said it aimed mortar fire at militants shooting at Israel. Palestinian medics said the Israeli shells struck a house, killing four people and wounding 12 others, including eight children, four of whom were listed in serious condition in hospital. The Israeli military said its troops had opened mortar fire on militants firing similar munitions at Israel, and expressed regret for any civilian casualties caused. There was no immediate Israeli comment on the airstrike.Tensions have risen along the Israeli-Gaza frontier in the past few weeks, but Tuesdays death toll was the highest for a single day in months, and Hamas swiftly threatened a possible escalation. Israel has retaliated with air and ground assaults saying it was targeting militants firing rockets and mortars on its towns and cities.