In a pre-dawn shelling on Thursday, Israeli forces air struck a
Palestinian house in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip,
shortly after troops phoned the inhabitants and ordered them to leave.
Two missiles were fired at the house and flattened it.

Local sources in Rafah reported that the three-story building belongs to resident Sami Sabri Breka; damage was reported to several surrounding houses.

Civil defense and rescue teams rushed to the area and initiated a rescue campaign, no injuries were reported.

An Israeli army sources said that the owner of the shelled house is a member of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas.

On Wednesday at dawn, one child was killed and at least fourteen residents were injured in an Israeli air strike that targeted a Palestinian house in Rafah.

Dr. Ali Mousa, head of Abu Yousef Al Najjar Hospital in Rafah, reported that Azza Ahmad Hammad, 14, was killed by the Israeli strike; fourteen residents were injured, three seriously.

The body of the child was severely mutilated as a result of the blasts.

At least nine houses were shelled by the Israeli air force since the beginning of this month.