Israeli air strikes wounds 8 Palestinians in Gaza

Gaza, Aug 25: Israeli aircraft bombed the home of a Palestinian militant and a weapons depot in the Gaza Strip today, wounding eight people, medics and military sources said.

A first strike just after midnight destroyed the home of a local commander from the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade in the Jabalya refugee camp. Five civilians near the home at the time of attack where hurt.

Three more Palestinians were injured when Israel bombed a building in Gaza City a short while later, setting it ablaze, medics and witnesses said. An Israeli military spokeswoman said a weapons depot had been targeted.

The army gave advance warning to residents to leave the buildings before both attacks, the spokeswoman said.

Residents said occupants had evacuated after being phoned by the army. Neighbouring buildings were also damaged, they added.

The air strikes were the latest in a nearly two month offensive by Israel against militants in Gaza which followed the seizure of an Israeli soldier by gunmen, including members of the governing Hamas movement, on June 25.

Hamas, which took power in the Palestinian territories after winning parliamentary elections in January, is dedicated to Israel's destruction.

Gaza, home to 1.4 million Palestinians, was occupied by Israeli troops until August last year, when soldiers and some 8,000 Jewish settlers pulled out after 38 years of occupation.

Reuters