Israel launches fourth air raids in Gaza

GAZA - Israeli helicopters fired missiles in four separate air raids in the Gaza Strip in the space of an hour early today witnesses said.

It was the most intense Israeli air raid in the occupied territory in months.

The first strike destroyed a pro-Hamas Islamic charity in Gaza City and a minute later, the helicopters fired at a cemetery in Khan Younis militants used as a launching pad to fire mortars at an adjacent Jewish settlement, witnesses said.

Crowds gathered at the site of the Gaza City blast and shouted as some sifted through the debris and ambulances raced to the scene.

Witnesses said one man was struck by flying debris in Gaza City blast but hospitals said they had no casualties yet.

The Israeli army acknowledged one of the raids, saying it had struck an ammunition depot in Khan Younis used by militants of Hamas, a group sworn to Israel's destruction.

A missile fired in the third raid landed in the sea opposite Deir el-Balah refugee camp in an apparent abortive mission. Later helicopters returned and fired again at a target in the camp, witnesses said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries in any of the raids which came hours after an Israeli woman was killed in the first deadly rocket assault from Gaza in months.

The Israeli army also blocked a key Gaza highway in two areas to restrict Palestinian travel in the area.

- REUTERS