Israel kills 10 Palestinians in Gaza

Palestinians inspect a destroyed vehicle following an Israeli air strike in Gaza yesterday

Palestinians inspect a destroyed vehicle following an Israeli air strike in Gaza yesterday

Israel killed 10 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip yesterday and threatened a major ground offensive in the Hamas-run territory to stem rocket fire.

Following a surge in the cross-border salvos, Israeli troops and tanks rolled into the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, sparking clashes with local gunmen.

Israeli shelling killed a gunman from the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) militant group along with three bystanders, witnesses said. An air strike killed a Hamas militant.

Earlier, Israel's air force attacked a car in nearby Gaza City, killing its five occupants. They were identified as members of the Army of Islam militant group.

READ MORE

At least 22 Palestinians were also wounded in the fighting, among the fiercest in Gaza since Hamas Islamists seized control of it in June.

Israel, which last week declared Gaza an "enemy entity" because of the continued short-range rocket fire, signalled that it could soon order invasions of areas used for the launches.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has come under pressure from residents of the Israeli town of Sderot, which was targeted by rockets, and right-wing politicians to crack down on Gaza.