Girl among four killed in West Bank clashes

Four Palestinians, including a 10-year-old girl, have reportedly been killed as Israeli tanks move deeper into West Bank towns.

Palestinian hospital staff say the girl was shot dead in her home in Sanoor village, and two other children were wounded by Israeli fire.

The army says initial inquiries show no Israeli fire of any kind at Sanoor.

The hospital staff in the West Bank town of Jenin say Ghadah Ayaseh died when Israeli fire hit houses near an abandoned position of the Force 17 Palestinian security force.

Witnesses say the Force 17 post itself was flattened by Israeli tank fire.

The three-day-old assault has led to disagreements within Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's coalition government. Some members of the moderate Labour Party have threatened to quit if the escalation continues.

The assault is retaliation for the assassination of an Israeli Cabinet minister by a radical PLO faction.

There was more violence in Bethlehem, where Palestinians said three people were killed by Israeli gunfire.

The victims were a police officer and a civilian in a nearby refugee camp, and another civilian standing at the entrance to a hospital.

Israel's army says Palestinians threw a bomb at an Israeli tank near the refugee camp, setting off an exchange of fire, and were looking into the hospital incident.