Sixteen Palestinians were killed and scores wounded, and an IDF officer and soldier were seriously wounded, in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday. Ground forces, armored and engineering units with Air Force backup, have been operating in the area since late Sunday night in an attempt to halt mortar shell attacks on settlements and IDF posts in Gush Katif. IDF officers said that security forces shot and killed 17 armed Palestinians since entering the camp. Palestinians claimed that Hisham Ashour, a 10-year-old boy, was among those killed by the IDF. The army said that since the beginning of September more than 200 mortar shells have been fired at Israeli communities and army posts in Gush Katif. On Monday night, Palestinians fired four mortar shells at settlements in south and central Gaza. There were no reports of casualties or damage. In the morning two Kassam rockets were fired into the western Negev, landing in open areas and causing no damage or casualties.