Palestinian medical sources reported on Wednesday morning that four
civilians were killed and eight injured by heavy machine gun fire from
Israeli tanks in AL Shujaeyya area, east of the Gaza strip.

Dr. Muawiya Hasanen, the Director of Emergency and Ambulance Department at the Palestinian Ministry of Health, reported that the four were identified as Rami Al Gharabli, Ziad Al Gharabli, Ra'ed Sabitah, and Mohannad Jundieh.

Medics enormous difficulties in reaching the area and evacuating the injured and the killed residents due to the continuous Israeli shelling.

Dr. Hasanen added that eight residents were injured, due to the intense and violent shelling which targeted residents' houses, and ambulances and medics could not get to the injured people.

Israeli tanks and war plans are still heavily shelling the area, according to local sources. The death toll, including the four killed in the Gaza strip since Saturday, reached 17 residents, 13 of them civilians.

Earlier on Wednesday at dawn, one resident was shot and killed by Israeli military fire near the evacuated settlement of Doughit, near Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

The resident was identified as Husam Abu Rokba, 24. Relatives of Abu Rokba stated that he was mentally challenged.

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