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Israeli shelling kills 18 in Gaza Israeli shelling kills 18 in Gaza
(about 1 hour later)
At least 18 Palestinians have been killed and 40 wounded by Israeli 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 Israeli tank fire in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, Palestinian sources have said.
Palestinian officials said a barrage of tank shells hit civilian homes, and women and children were among the dead.Palestinian officials said a barrage of tank shells hit civilian homes, and women and children were among the dead.
Israel has ordered the army to halt artillery attacks in the Gaza Strip and is investigating the incident.Israel has ordered the army to halt artillery attacks in the Gaza Strip and is investigating the incident.
Palestinian leaders have called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting to force Israel to stop its operations.Palestinian leaders have called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting to force Israel to stop its operations.
The Palestinian prime minister, Hamas's Ismail Haniya, denounced the Israeli attack as an "awful massacre" and said talks on forming Palestinian unity government would be suspended.The Palestinian prime minister, Hamas's Ismail Haniya, denounced the Israeli attack as an "awful massacre" and said talks on forming Palestinian unity government would be suspended.
Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz ordered the halt in artillery attacks and called for an urgent inquiry into the incident. It is the saddest scene and images I have ever seen Eyewitness Attaf Hamad Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz ordered the halt in artillery attacks and called for an urgent inquiry into the incident.
href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5122404.stm" class="">Profile: Gaza Strip href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6122138.stm" class="">Fear and despair in Gaza Palestinian hospital officials said the final death toll was 18, including two women and six children. Thirteen of the dead belonged to the same family.
The Israelis withdrew from the town on Tuesday following a major offensive centred in Beit Hanoun in which more than 60 Palestinians were killed. The Israelis withdrew from the town on Tuesday following a major offensive centred in Beit Hanoun.
Israel says the operation was aimed at stopping militant rocket fire into Israel from Gaza. More than 60 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were killed in a week-long operation that Israel says was aimed at stopping militant rocket fire into Israel from Gaza.
National morning
TV footage from Beit Hanoun showed the victims being taken to hospital in their sleeping clothes, some with terrible injuries.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. Many of the dead were members of the same family"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."
Retaliation Palestinian leaders announced three days of national mourning throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Mr Haniya announced three days of national mourning throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A local Hamas leader has called for the group to resume suicide bombings inside Israel, a policy suspended two years ago by the main militant faction.
Local Hamas leader Nizar Rayan vowed to launch more rockets at Israel in retaliation. "Israel should be wiped from the face of the Earth. It is an animal state that recognises no human worth. It is a cancer that should be eradicated," said Ghazi Hamad, a spokesman for the Hamas-led government.
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 in an apparent retaliation, Palestinian authorities said.
Shots have also been fired at the European Union office in Gaza City, Palestinian authorities say. href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5122404.stm" class="">Profile: Gaza Strip href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6122138.stm" class="">Fear and despair in Gaza Unidentified gunmen opened fire on the building and youths threw stones, Palestinian sources reported, adding no-one was injured in the attack.
Unidentified gunmen opened fire on the building and youths threw stones, Palestinian sources reported, adding no-one was injured in the attack. Earlier, in a separate incident, five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli 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. They 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 said it had found large quantities of arms during its six-day operation throughout Beit Hanoun which ended 24 hours earlier.
The Israeli army said it had found large quantities of arms during a six-day operation throughout Beit Hanoun which ended 24 hours earlier.
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.