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Civilians die in Gaza tank fire Israeli shelling kills 18 in Gaza
(about 1 hour later)
At least 18 Palestinians have been killed and 40 wounded by Israel tank fire in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, Palestinian sources have said.At least 18 Palestinians have been killed and 40 wounded by Israel tank fire in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, Palestinian sources have said.
Palestinian officials said Israeli troops fired on houses, and that women and children were among the dead.Palestinian officials said Israeli troops fired on houses, and that women and children were among the dead.
The Israeli army has said it fired shells in response to rocket fire by militants. It said it was checking reports of civilian casualties. Israel has ordered the army to halt artillery attacks in the Gaza Strip and is investigating the incident.
The Israelis withdrew from the town on Tuesday following a major offensive. Palestinian leaders have called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting to force Israel to stop its operations.
TV footage from the Beit Hanoun incident showed the victims being taken to hospital in their sleeping clothes, some with terrible injuries. The Palestinian prime minister, Hamas's Ismail Haniya, denounced the Israeli attack as an "awful massacre" and said talks on forming Palestinian unity government will be suspended.
Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz ordered the halt artillery attacks and called for an urgent inquiry into the incident.
Profile: Gaza Strip Fear and despair in Gaza
The Israelis withdrew from the town on Tuesday following a major offensive in centred in Beit Hanoun in which more than 60 Palestinians were killed.
Israel says the operation was aimed at stopping militant rocket fire into Israel form Gaza.
TV footage from Beit Hanoun showed the victims being taken to hospital in their sleeping clothes, some with terrible injuries.
"It is the saddest scene and images I have ever seen. We saw legs, we saw heads, we saw hands scattered in the street," 22-year-old eyewitness Attaf Hamad told Reuters news agency."It is the saddest scene and images I have ever seen. We saw legs, we saw heads, we saw hands scattered in the street," 22-year-old eyewitness Attaf Hamad told Reuters news agency.
"I saw people coming out of a house covered in blood. I started screaming to wake up the neighbours.""I saw people coming out of a house covered in blood. I started screaming to wake up the neighbours."
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, of the ruling Hamas militant faction, called for an immediate session of the United Nations in response to the incident, calling it a "massacre". Retaliation
Mr Haniya said efforts to form a national unity government with the Fatah movement would be suspended in protest. Mr Haniya also announced three days of national mourning throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Local Hamas leader Nizar Rayan vowed to launch more rockets at Israel in retaliation.Local Hamas leader Nizar Rayan vowed to launch more rockets at Israel in retaliation.
At a large demonstration in the northern Gaza strip, Mr Rayan said: "We are going to fight against the so-called Israel. We are going to launch our rockets, our martyrs are going to sacrifice their lives in the depths of our occupied land."
Shots have also been fired at the European Union office in Gaza City, Palestinian authorities say.
Unidentified gunmen opened fire on the building and youths threw stones, Palestinian sources reported, adding no-one was injured in the attack.
West Bank violenceWest Bank violence
Earlier, in a separate incident, five Palestinians were reported killed in an army raid near the West Bank town of Jenin. Earlier, in a separate incident, five Palestinians were reported killed in an Israeli army raid near the West Bank town of Jenin.
The militants were said to be members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, an armed offshoot of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement.The militants were said to be members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, an armed offshoot of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement.
The Israeli army confirmed an operation to arrest wanted gunmen.The Israeli army confirmed an operation to arrest wanted gunmen.
The Beit Hanoun incident occurred just 24 hours after Israeli troops withdrew from the town. They are now said to be in positions just outside. The latest killings in Gaza occurred just 24 hours after Israeli troops withdrew from the town to take up positions just outside.
Some 50 Palestinians were killed during the six-day operation, during which the Israeli army said it found large quantities of arms. The Israeli army said it found large quantities of arms during the six-day operation.
Militants launched at least four rockets into the Israeli town of Ashkelon from northern Gaza on Tuesday. There were no casualties.Militants launched at least four rockets into the Israeli town of Ashkelon from northern Gaza on Tuesday. There were no casualties.