Khan Younis (Gaza Strip), Oct 07: Israeli troops raiding this town with tanks and helicopters killed 13 Palestinians early today, including 10 who died when a missile slammed into a large crowd. Palestinian officials said all the dead were civilians, while the Israeli army said most were armed men killed in battle. About 110 Palestinians were wounded in the four-hour raid, including 25 who were in critical condition, doctors said. Most suffered shrapnel wounds in the head, chest and abdomen. The dead ranged in age from 14 to 52. Later, Israeli troops fired machine guns and assault rifles at a Khan Younis hospital where most of the wounded were taken, killing one man and injuring three people. The military said the shots were fired in response to mortar fire, and witnesses said they heard two explosions before the shooting began.
The military said Khan Younis is a stronghold of the Islamic militant group Hamas and that during the raid troops arrested a wanted man carrying a homemade explosive device. However, there was no indication of a particular target, as in previous strikes against wanted militants that claimed civilian casualties. Palestinians denounced the Israeli strike, the deadliest since July, as a massacre and called for international protection. The Islamic militant group Hamas threatened revenge. Israeli officials said Palestinians militants were responsible for the casualties because they took cover among civilians. The missile was fired toward the end of the Israeli raid. Bureau Report