Dozen dead in Gaza attack

ISRAELI attacks in the Gaza Strip yesterday killed 10 Palestinians, including a 12-year-old boy, Palestinians said, the bloodiest fighting in the area since the Hamas militant group seized control two weeks ago.

The burst of violence came as the ‘Quartet’ of Mideast peace mediators — the US, EU, UN and Russia — was expected to name former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as its new envoy.

Israeli tanks and troops pushed into northern and southern Gaza, accompanied by engineering equipment and bomb-sniffing dogs and exchanging fire with Palestinian gunmen, Israeli security officials said.

The army said troops were scouring areas near the Gaza-Israel border for militants, weapons and tunnels that could be used to attack Israeli positions. Troops detained several dozen Palestinians for questioning, the army said.

Israeli fire struck a Gaza City house, killing four people, including two militants and a 12-year-old boy, medics said. Five militants were killed in fighting with the Israelis in another outlying part of the city, Palestinians said.