Blast kills three, wounds ten in Gaza strip
An explosion today in a Gaza Strip area where the Israeli army is operating killed at least three people and wounded 10 others, Palestinian witnesses said.
It was unclear what caused the explosion in the area of Rafah, but the Israeli army has been conducting an extensive operation in the Gaza-Egypt border area since before dawn today.
Witnesses said at least three people were killed and several others were wounded in the explosion that shook the Rafah refugee camp.
Among the wounded was a Reuters TV cameraman who suffered a shrapnel wound in his hand, according to witnesses and hospital officials.
The army did not immediately comment.
Witnesses said the explosion went off when Palestinian residents gathered to inspect the damage caused by the army, which demolished six homes and damaged three others.
As they gathered – along with several journalists – an explosion rocked the area, throwing people to the ground, their bodies covered in blood, residents said.
Three people were killed immediately. The bodies – one of them decapitated - were strewn among the wounded.
Sirens blared as ambulances rushed frantically to the scene to evacuate the wounded.
“We went to inspect the area in which the army was operating,” said Raouf Ahmed, 23, a resident of the area.
“Suddenly an explosion shook the land ... Tanks were positioned along the border with Egypt and Apache helicopters were in the sky as well but I did not see what caused the explosion,” he said.
Israeli troops backed by tanks and armoured bulldozers entered the Yebna refugee camp early today. Soldiers demolished six houses along the border and damaged three others, municipality officials said.
A few hours later, an Israeli helicopter fired a missile into an open field. No one was hurt in the missile strike.
