Two Palestinian children killed in Gaza-doctor

GAZA, Aug 29 (Reuters) Two Palestinian children were killed today after Israeli soldiers fired at figures they spotted near rocket launchers in the northern Gaza strip.

Palestinian residents found the bodies of two boys, aged 10 and 12, in an area near where militants had fired rockets towards Israel. They said the boys died of shrapnel wounds.

A girl, 10, was injured, doctors said. Residents said the three were cousins. There were no witnesses to the explosion that killed the children.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said troops had targeted and hit unidentified figures spotted near rocket launchers that were aimed at Israel. She voiced regret at the deaths of children.

The spokeswoman declined to say what weapons the soldiers had used. Palestinian militants in Gaza fired more than 90 rockets into Israel in the past month, she added.

REUTERS SY HS2258