Two children and one farmer killed in Gaza on Tuesday

International Middle East Media Center, Jan. 20, 2009

Palestinian medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Tuesday that two Palestinian children, brother and sister, were killed when an explosive charge dropped near them by the Israeli Army during the offensive against Gaza detonated. Also, a Palestinian farmer was killed by Israeli military fire in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

The sources stated that the two children are brother and sister, and were identified as Abdullah, age 10, and his Shorouq, age 11.

They were playing in al-Sha'af area, east of Gaza City, when the explosive detonated near them.

Also, Maan News Agency reported that Dr. Muawiya Hassanen, head of the Emergency Department at the Palestinian Ministry of Health, said that a Palestinian farmer was killed by Israeli gunfire while he was working in his land east of Jabalia. (AP reports two farmers were shot & killed by the Israli military on Tuesday).

The body of the farmer was moved to Kamal Adwan Hospital, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

The Ministry of Health issued a warning to the residents to refrain from entering areas that were heavily shelled by the Israeli Army, due to the possibility of explosives and mines having been left by the Israelis.

Dr. Hassanen added that the number of Palestinians killed during the 22 days of the Israeli offensive is 1,415 residents, and that the bodies of 100 residents were located on the first day of the ceasefire under the rubble of shelled homes and facilities.

On Tuesday morning, Israeli tanks carried out a limited invasion into the central Gaza Strip while military bulldozers uprooted treas and farmlands.

The Israeli Navy also shelled a number of open areas west of Gaza City.

Medics and rescue teams are still searching under the rubble as more residents are believed to be dead. On Sunday, medics located the bodies of nearly 100 residents, and on Monday the bodies of 12 more residents were located under the rubble.