Israeli shell kills girl in Gaza
An Israeli artillery shell has killed a young Palestinian girl in a house in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian hospital and security sources have said.
The girl is reported to be eight years old, according to Palestinian sources.
At least 12 other people were reported injured in the shelling on the village of Beit Lahiya.
Fifteen other Palestinians, mainly militants, have been killed in Israeli military action against rocket fire from Gaza since Friday.
An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed Beit Lahiya had been targeted but not reports of any casualties.
"We are very sorry for any innocents who are hurt but these areas and the courtyards of some of these homes are often used to fire rockets at Israel," the spokeswoman said.
Blood and rubble
Reuters news agency reports that the house is located in an area often used by militants to fire makeshift rockets into Israel.
Witnesses identified the dead girl as Hadil Ghraben.
The shell set the house on fire, according to an ambulance driver quoted by the Associated Press news agency.
All the casualties were reportedly members of the same family.
"The scene was horrible," said a relative, 29-year-old Samir Ghraben.
"There were two explosions and children started screaming."
Children, she said, were covered with blood and rubble.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4896900.stm