Women and children 'killed in their sleep' in Gaza
Israeli tank shells landed in a residential neighbourhood north of Beit Hanoun early today, killing at least 18 people in their sleep.
Palestinian hospital officials said there were several more injured.
According to witnesses, all those killd were women and children.
Hundreds gathered outside the Kamal Adwan hospital weeping as bodies arrived.
Witnesses said that many of the dead arrived in their sleeping clothes.
Four hospitals are treating the wounded across Gaza.
Khaled Radi, a health ministry official, said of the 18 dead, seven were children, and 13 of the dead were from the same family.
He said at least 40 more were wounded, all civilians. Palestinian security officials said that five tank shells landed in the area within 15 minutes.
The Palestinian cabinet announced it would convene for an emergency meeting to discuss the “massacre.”
The Israeli army did not comment.
The shelling came after Israeli attacks in Gaza and the West Bank killed at least 15 people following a pullout from the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun at the end of a bloody weeklong sweep.
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