Israeli shell kills girl in Gaza

Injured children were rushed by car to hospital

An Israeli artillery shell has killed a young Palestinian girl in a house in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian hospital and security sources have said.

Palestinian sources said the girl was eight-years-old.

At least 12 other people were reported injured in the shelling on the northern village of Beit Lahiya.

The Israeli military says four kassam rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza on Monday - three from the exact area of the house that was hit.

Fifteen other Palestinians, mainly militants, have been killed in Israeli military action against rocket fire from Gaza since Friday.

Blood and rubble

According to witnesses and security officials, the Israeli army hit the family home, which was next to a field.

The shell set the house on fire, according to an ambulance driver quoted by the Associated Press news agency.

Witnesses identified the dead girl as Hadil Ghraben.

All the casualties were reportedly members of the same family.

"The scene was horrible," said a relative, 29-year-old Samir Ghraben.

"There were two explosions and children started screaming."

She said children were covered with blood and rubble.

The Israeli military said it may have been responsible for the killing, but said it was targeting Palestinians firing rockets.

"The IDF [Israel Defence Forces] does not target civilians," a military spokesperson said.

"We regret any damage or injuries to innocent civilian Palestinians, but we do target terrorists who try to injure and kill Israelis."