Army claimed to have killed eight Palestinians and wounded 21 in two military operations in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday.
According to an army source, soldiers sat up Thursday an ambush inside a Palestinian house at the Gaza’s Zeitoun neighborhood, spotted three gunman and opened fire, killing one of them.
According to the same source, other resistance gunmen arrived on the scene, surrounded the home and opened fire at soldiers. Soldiers were evacuated with the help of another army battalion that arrived at the scene. Army claimed that 5 resistance operatives were killed in the exchange of fire.
A medical source in Al-Shfa Hospital in the Gaza city said that 5 Palestinians who suffered moderate injuries were treated in the hospital.
A Hamas spokesperson denied that 5 of resistance operatives were killed in the incident, saying that its operatives decided to end the siege around the home in which soldiers were surrounded to save the lives of innocent residents whom soldiers used as a human shield.
Army source as well reported that soldiers operating in the Brazil section of Rafah found the opening of a weapons-smuggling tunnel and blasted the tunnel shut.
According to the same source, soldiers were targeted by gunfire and an anti-tank missile and as they returned fire, a 9-year-old Palestinian boy was reported killed.
Meanwhile, soldiers continued operating in Beit Hanun in the northern Gaza Strip, for the fourth consecutive day.
Army source reported that 3 Palestinians were killed, claiming that all were preparing to launch Qasam rockets at Israeli targets. One of the three killed was identified as Ismail Nabhan, 30, an armed Hamas member from Jabalya.
