Four Palestinians killed in Gaza violence

Soldiers shot and killed a 10-year-old Palestinian girl and three other Palestinians were killed in two missile strikes yesterday during Israel’s massive offensive into the northern Gaza Strip, witnesses and hospital officials said.

The deaths brought the number of Palestinians killed to 89 since Israel began its offensive Sept. 29 to stop Palestinian militants from launching home-made rockets into Israel. Almost half of those killed in the raid were civilians, 18 were age 16 and under.