Five Palestinians, including four children, martyred by Israeli tank fire

In another brutal attack against Palestinians amid the world’s suspicious but expected silence, at least five Palestinians, including four children, have been martyred and 20 wounded after an Israeli tank fired shots at a home in the Gaza Strip, medics reported.

In a bid to justify the unjustifiable crime, the Israeli occupation army claimed that Palestinian fighters had launched mortars against Israeli troops Tuesday and the military shot at the source of the firing.

"Regrettably non-combatants were hurt, this is because the Hamas attacks from civilian areas," the Israeli occupation military claimed in a statement.

Because the regret is not enough in such a case, Israeli daily Haaretz went on to quote an Israeli army spokesman as saying that he was saddened when any uninvolved civilian is hurt.

Palestinian medics said the dead youths were aged 12, 16 and 17. The 58-year-old owner of the house was also martyred.

Locals said four Israeli tank shells struck the building east of Gaza City.

Israel hit a series of Palestinian targets in the Gaza Strip earlier Tuesday, damaging smuggling tunnels and suspected weapons sites. Palestinian officials said 19 people were wounded in those attacks.