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3 Palestinian Women Killed by Israeli Tank Fire
Three Palestinian Bedouin women were killed overnight by an tank shell fired by Israeli army in the southern Gaza Strip, Israel Radio reported Sunday.
The radio quoted Palestinian hospital sources as saying that at least four other members of the family, living in a camp near the Jewish settlement of Netzarim, were wounded, some of them seriously.
Defending its tank fire, an Israeli army spokesman said that the forces "only returned fire after identifying two armed figures in an open area near Netzarim, who were shooting at three Israeli army outposts in the Netzarim settlement."
He confirmed that Israeli tanks fired three shells, one of which, according to the radio, probably hit the tent. No Israeli injuries were reported in the incident and witnesses nearby said that they never heard any shooting at that time.
The deaths of the three Palestinian women were the first of its kind since Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat announced a ceasefire on June 2.
So far, the eight-month-old violence between Israel and the Palestinians has caused over 570 deaths, most of the victims Palestinians.
The general situation on the ground is relatively quiet despite sporadic incidents, including a clash near the West Bank city of Ramallah on Saturday, in which about 16 Palestinian youths were injured by Israeli soldiers' bullets.
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