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Palestinians running away from tear gas fired by the IDF in Qalqilyah Wednesday. (AP)
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Three Palestinian children killed in IDF strike in northern Gaza
By Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents and Haaretz Service

Three Palestinian children were killed on Wednesday afternoon in a blast in the northern Gaza Strip, when an Israel Defense Forces tank fired on a Qassam rocket launcher.

Dr. Moaiya Hassanain of the Palestinian Health Ministry said 10-year-old Mahmoud Ghazal and his 12-year-old cousin Yehiya Ghazal were killed immediately. Their 10-year-old cousin Sara Ghazal was critically injured, and died later from her wounds.

The IDF said it fired on the Qassam launcher after it detected unidentified figures next to it.

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A relative of the children, Wasfi Ghazal, said he heard the sound of an explosion and then children screaming. He held both Israel and the militant rocket squads responsible.

"We are victims of the occupation and victims of the misbehavior of some of the fighters who are randomly choosing our area to target Israel," he told The Associated Press.

The IDF expressed sorrow for the deaths of the children, but blamed militant groups.

"The strike was the result of children being located in the area and aiding terror groups that are doing nothing to distance them from there," according to a statement issued by the Army Spokesman's Office.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat condemned the killing of the children, predicting violence would breed more violence.

"This will add to the complexities and feed the fire," Erekat said.

Taher Nunu, a spokesman for Gaza's Islamic militant Hamas rulers, said the attack on the heels of the Olmert-Abbas meeting reaffirms Israel's aggressive intentions, and its disinterest in reaching an understanding with the Palestinian side. He called on Abbas to stop meeting Olmert.

About two hours earlier, a Qassam rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel, and landed in fields just north of Kibbutz Nir-Am in the western Negev. The rocket did not cause any damage.

30 Palestinians lightly wounded during IDF raid in Qalqilyah
Some 30 Palestinians were lightly wounded on Wednesday during an Israel Defense Forces arrest raid in the West Bank city of Qalqilyah.

Palestinian sources said a majority of those wounds were from tear gas and rubber bullets fired by IDF troops in the course of the operation.

Troops surrounded a cluster of homes in which the IDF said a wanted militant was hiding.

The troops called over loudspeakers for the militant to surrender, but were met with no response. During the operation IDF bulldozers demolished two of the homes in the compound in an attempt to force him out.

The militant managed to escape, but troops arrested another man who through explosives at them.

The operation comes despite a renewed diplomatic drive to forge an agreement with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah-led government in the West Bank.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Abbas met Tuesday in Jerusalem, for talks that touched on the thorniest final status issues dividing the sides final borders, the future of Jerusalem, and Palestinian refugees.

Israel is also considering Abbas' request, made at Tuesday's meeting, to include in its amnesty for Fatah fugitives 26 militants expelled in 2002 after a siege on the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Also Tuesday, A Qassam rocket fired by Palestinian militants in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip struck a home in the western Negev town of Sderot, lightly wounding one person.
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  1.   It is just a matter of time the rabid anti-Israelis will 13:55  |  Rami Rosenberg 29/08/07
  2.   Abbas has to get rid of all the militants-terrorists if he wants 16:19  |  Vittorio 29/08/07
  3.   HIV infected Thief Arafat was not inclined to make peace and..... 16:37  |  Vittorio 29/08/07
  4.   rami....is it because... 17:00  |  ravi 29/08/07
  5.   Raid is offensive 17:02  |  Omran 29/08/07
  6.   #1 Rami 17:11  |  Mary 29/08/07
  7.   Keep going!! 17:17  |  James 29/08/07
  8.   Barbarians Using Children as Human Shields Again 18:14  |  Solon 29/08/07
  9.   Two children killed 18:23  |  Here 29/08/07
  10.   #1 18:24  |  jjvanka 29/08/07
  11.   Maybe Palestinians need to stop using rocket launchers and 18:32  |  John Ryan 29/08/07
  12.   Will you denounce it, David Israel? 18:38  |  Fatih 29/08/07
  13.   Are the terrorists and parents now happy? 18:41  |  Murray of Montreal 29/08/07
  14.   This is who Hamas sends to retrieve launchers 18:41  |  Chick 29/08/07
  15.   Rami, there you go 18:48  |  JJ 29/08/07
  16.   As we have said all along, stop with the Qassam launching 18:48  |  Rami Rosenberg 29/08/07
  17.   Scenario 18:49  |  * BEN JABO 29/08/07
  18.   #2 Here 19:07  |  Victor 29/08/07
  19.   The IDF has no choice 19:13  |  josh 29/08/07
  20.   This is a war people....protect your children 19:14  |  Albert Amato 29/08/07
  21.   Killers!!! 19:15  |  Mike 29/08/07
  22.   Prosecute Parents for Child Abuse 19:30  |  Jane 29/08/07
  23.   Keep up the pressure targeting the launchers 19:32  |  Dr. L. Brnd 29/08/07
  24.   #6 Fatih from Turkey pretends that he doesn`t understand: 19:33  |  Vittorio 29/08/07
  25.   JJ 19:40  |  gabistan 29/08/07
  26.   when will the world rescue pals children from adult pals? 19:49  |  virginia orrall 29/08/07
  27.   Here #3 et al 19:49  |  democrat 29/08/07
  28.   Where are the voices of the quislings. 20:00  |  MA 29/08/07
  29.   JJ, the farmer was climbing the wall!! 20:01  |  Jesus 29/08/07
  30.   #12 fatih 20:03  |  Q 29/08/07
  31.   #27: Don`t call yourself "democrat". You are too dishonest to use 20:03  |  Vittorio 29/08/07
  32.   5Here,your children are vacationing at the beach,while these kids 20:05  |  lakshmi 29/08/07
  33.   Mary #6 20:10  |  Bob 29/08/07
  34.   Works out 20:13  |  Colin Wright 29/08/07
  35.   Fatih #12 20:14  |  Bob 29/08/07
  36.   ISRAEL = CHILDREN KILLER 20:19  |  indrajaya 29/08/07
  37.   Colin #34 20:23  |  Bob 29/08/07
  38.   I see no benefits whatsoever in launching qassams at Israel. 20:24  |  Gina 29/08/07
  39.   1.5 Million Children Killed in Holocaust 20:24  |  Robert 29/08/07
  40.   Pal children reaping the oats their parents sow 20:26  |  Richard S 29/08/07
  41.   Palestinian Children killed by IDF 20:27  |  Gershon Gurin-Podlis 29/08/07
  42.   TO Rami Rosenberg #16 20:28  |  Steve Beikirch 29/08/07
  43.   # 27 democrat 20:28  |  Lynn 29/08/07
  44.   UN should send in troops and get ALL ..... 20:35  |  Lynn 29/08/07
  45.   Practice makes perfect ... or...water seeks its own level 20:36  |  Natallie Durson 29/08/07
  46.   rules of engagement 20:57  |  rose 29/08/07
  47.   DURSON THE DUNCE 20:57  |  Brant 29/08/07
  48.   As usual, children and qassams together 20:57  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  49.   Children for terror propaganda 21:00  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  50.   2 "palestinian" kids killed by IDF 21:03  |  Axel Bavaria 29/08/07
  51.   Poor children with such relatives 21:03  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  52.   To Q: We have heard of such tales before 21:03  |  Fatih 29/08/07
  53.   Steve Beikirch # 42 21:04  |  ChanahS 29/08/07
  54.   Which occupation, Wasfi Ghazal? 21:07  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  55.   To all you hypoctrite Israel bashers 21:07  |  ChanahS 29/08/07
  56.   #21 nuts 21:07  |  Robert 29/08/07
  57.   . Terrorists sheltering among civilians 21:10  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  58.   To Bob: No fresh excuses? 21:12  |  Fatih 29/08/07
  59.   Rose - you are wrong 21:14  |  ChanahS 29/08/07
  60.   Hamas in Judea and S, Fatah in Gaza 21:15  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  61.   Colin Wright # 34 - Obviously, you are a simplton 21:19  |  Jason 29/08/07
  62.   Steve, 42, I am not sure Rami will answer your 21:21  |  Ruti 29/08/07
  63.   thank you #50 21:24  |  EREZ LIBSCHTEIN 29/08/07
  64.   45 Natallie Durson: Practice makes perfect or the use of childre 21:25  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  65.   36. indrajaya: CHEERLEADER OF THE TERRORISTS 21:28  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  66.   5. Omran: Terrorist offensive 21:32  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  67.   Keep on, IDF, hunting terrorists down 21:34  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  68.   32 lakshmi: the terrorists sheltering among children 21:42  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  69.   Palestinian Children killed by IDF 21:46  |  Gershon Gurin-Podlis 29/08/07
  70.   Fatih in Turkey 21:46  |  Lynn 29/08/07
  71.   # 6 Mary most sanctimonious 21:56  |  Lynn 29/08/07
  72.   ridiculous!!!! 21:56  |  Leona 29/08/07
  73.   #27 democrat - pls read again what the relative reportedly said 22:02  |  CK Tan 29/08/07
  74.   For KUTW # 61 22:06  |  Clickfool 29/08/07
  75.   69. Gershon Gurin-Podlis: So the terrorists can keep on 22:07  |  KUTW 29/08/07
  76.   Child Killers 22:11  |  JJ 29/08/07
  77.   Steve Beikirch -- why isn`t your question 22:12  |  Gina 29/08/07
  78.   # 33 BOBBY 22:14  |  Mary 29/08/07
  79.   BARBARIC - PANCASILA 22:22  |  pancasila 29/08/07
  80.   #43 Lynn 22:30  |  democrat