Three Palestinian children were killed on Wednesday in an IDF strike on a number of Kassam rocket launchers in the northern Gaza Strip. The IDF confirmed it had fired on figures handling rocket launchers, saying in a statement that it regretted that Palestinian groups "used children for terrorist purposes." Witnesses said an IDF tank shell exploded near Beit Hanun. The IDF said it targeted a number of Kassam rocket launchers and several suspicious-looking people who were handling them. Dr. Moaiya Hassanain of the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry, reporting the deaths of the children, said 10-year-old Mahmoud Ghazal and his 12-year-old cousin Yehiya Ghazal were killed. Their 10-year-old cousin Sara Ghazal was brought to hospital for treatment but later died of her wounds.
A relative of the children, Wasfi Ghazal, said he heard an explosion and then children screaming. He held both Israel and the rocket squads responsible. "We are victims of the occupation and victims of the misbehavior of some of the fighters, who are randomly choosing our area to target Israel," Ghazal said.
Chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat condemned the killing of the children, predicting violence would breed more violence. "This will add to the complexities and feed the fire," Erekat said.
In the West Bank, the IDF continued its pursuit of terrorists. Thirty-three Palestinians were wounded in clashes with the IDF as soldiers arrested gunmen in Kalkilya. All but one were very lightly wounded. Armored bulldozers razed several buildings where gunmen had barricaded themselves.