Israeli helicopters pounded a refugee camp with missiles and machine gun fire today, killing at least 18 Palestinians as troops searched houses in a major military offensive that drew worldwide condemnation.

A Palestinian brother and sister, aged 13 and 16, were killed by Israeli fire in a Gaza refugee camp today as they took down the washing from a rooftop clothesline, their family said.

Israeli helicopters pounded a refugee camp with missiles and machine gun fire today, killing at least 14 Palestinians as troops searched houses in the largest offensive in Gaza in years.