Palestinians say 10-year-old killed in clashes with IDF

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A 10-year-old boy was killed Tuesday during clashes between IDF soldiers and Hamas gunmen near the town of Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinians claimed. The IDF said that it had not operated in the area and that in an earlier incident troops had opened fire at Palestinian gunmen - but near Khan Yunis, in the south. The Palestinians said an army squad operating in the town came under heavy fire from Hamas. The troops shot back and children were apparently hit in the crossfire, they said. The army said soldiers were not operating in the town, but near the security fence, and that the force came under attack and returned fire, hitting at least one gunman. Earlier Tuesday, Palestinian terrorists fired five Kassam rockets at Israel from Gaza. One of the rockets damaged a chicken coop in the Ashkelon Beach region, two hit the city's industrial zone - including one that landed near a factory - and two more landed in open areas near Sderot. Overnight Monday, troops from the Givati Brigade shot and killed a Palestinian gunman who was spotted suspiciously approaching the border fence. AP contributed to this report.