Israel hits back, 11 dead in raid

Israel’s Army launched the Gaza operation hours after yesterday’s suicide bombing in Haifa. Witnesses and medics said the tank round crashed into a crowd watching firemen hose down a commercial building set ablaze in the raid on Jabalya refugee camp which triggered hours of pitched gunbattles. The blast killed eight civilians. Bloodied survivors crawled or were dragged through dirt streets.

Gaza hospitals were overwhelmed with wounded, many of them children pleading for help. ‘‘God help us, we are running out of medicine, we are running out of blood,’’ a doctor shouted.

The militant Islamic group Hamas vowed revenge, saying: ‘‘The Jews will pay a dear price’’. The Army insisted it had done the utmost to avoid civilian casualties and said the tank shell had hit a man aiming a rocket-propelled grenade launcher at the troops.

Israeli government officials said most Palestinians killed were gunmen. Palestinian medical officials said five of the fatalities ranged in age from 13 to 16 and a 60-year-old man was also shot dead. (Reuters)