GAZA CITY, Aug 29: Four members of a Palestinian family were killed by Israeli tank shells in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, sending another shockwave through an already fragile plan to ease tensions between the sides.

The second raid on the Gaza Strip in two days, only hours after the Israeli army took the first steps towards partially withdrawing from the area, sparked furious Palestinian reactions.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat described the shelling as a “crime”, and the Hamas vowed tougher retaliation than ever.

Israeli tanks stormed the Sheikh Ajleen neighbourhood of Gaza City shortly after Wednesday midnight, killing Rueida al-Hajeen, 55, her sons Ashraf, 22, and Nuhad, 17, as well as her nephew, Mohammad, 17, Palestinian medical sources said.

Palestinian ambulances rushed to the scene but were barred by the Israeli army from rescuing the injured.

While the shelling that ripped through the neighbourhood killed Rueida and Mohammad on the spot, Ashraf and Nuhad bled to death during the hour that elapsed before medical services could arrive.

“We were sleeping in our homes when suddenly we heard a bomb. Israeli tanks were invading the area, firing and shelling in all directions, and then I saw the al-Hajeen’s house on fire,” said Ismail Shamallakh, a neighbour whose house was also damaged in the incursion.

“Me and my brother tried to help bring the injured to shelter, but we had to run away under Israeli fire,” he said.

Five more of Rueida’s sons were also wounded in the attack, medical sources said. One of them, Mohammad, was said to be in serious condition.

The Israeli army said it had spotted “suspect individuals” in the area. It later added that it was looking into the incident, a month after 17 people, including 15 civilians, were slain in a controversial “targeted killing” against a Hamas military leader.

Ismail Haniya, a senior leader of the Hamas, vowed bloody retaliation for the killing.

“Our response will be a new escalation in our resistance,” he said.—AFP