GAZA CITY, July 20: Fresh Israeli bombardments killed at least 12 people in Gaza today, medics said, as the army intensified a 13-day campaign against the besieged Palestinian territory.
Today’s deaths brought the toll to 355 Palestinians and five Israelis who have died since the operation began on July 8.
Heavy artillery shelling east of Gaza City early in the morning killed at least five people, emergency spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.
In one artillery hit in Shejaiya east of Gaza City, a woman, two children and the son of senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya were killed, Qudra told AFP.
Earlier, tank fire killed 56-year-old Hosni al-Absi in the southern city of Rafah.
An air strike in Rafah killed three young men, all brothers, and wounded 10 more people, Qudra said. Hours later, another strike in Rafah killed two people.
Shortly after that, a strike in the central Strip killed a 29-year-old man.
During Israel’s operation to stamp out rocket fire from the besieged territory, some 1,333 rockets have hit Israel, with 360 intercepted by its Iron Dome defence system.
Israel’s military has hit thousands of targets in the besieged coastal territory.
Nearly 2,400 Palestinians have been wounded in the biggest confrontation in and around Gaza since Operation Cast Lead, a bloody 22-day offensive which ended in January 2009.
Gaza’s health ministry said in a statement early today that the Israeli artillery attack on Shejaiya had targeted ambulances trying to evacuate the wounded. (AGENCIES)
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