Israeli raid in Gaza kills one civilian: Medics

Gaza, Oct 21: Israeli forces killed a Palestinian civilian during a raid in southern Gaza today, as the army pressed on with a four-month-old offensive against militants, hospital officials and residents said.

The Israeli army said it was checking the report.

Hospital officials said the dead civilian was a man aged 50.

Residents said he was shot and killed when soldiers raided an area near the Sufa Crossing in the southern Gaza Strip.

Palestinian security officials and witnesses said a separate Israeli force of around 20 tanks entered northern Gaza, blocking the entrance to the town of Beit Hanoun and clashing with gunmen there. There were no reports of casualties.

The army said it was also checking that incident.

Palestinian militants often use fields around northern Gaza to fire makeshift rockets at the Jewish state.

Israel launched a major offensive in Gaza in late June after militants abducted a soldier in a cross-border raid from the coastal strip. The soldier is still being held.

Around 250 Palestinians, about half of them civilians, have been killed in the operations.

Israel had withdrawn troops and Jewish settlers from Gaza last year after 38 years of occupation.

REUTERS