Israeli shelling Wounds Two Gaza Girls

GAZA CITY: Two Palestinian girls were wounded on Thursday when an Israeli tank shell exploded near their home during an exchange of fire along the border of the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics said.

The girls, aged five and nine, were wounded by shrapnel from the blast, according to Muawiya Hassanein, the head of Gaza emergency services.

An Israeli military spokesman said there was an exchange of fire along the border near the Bureij refugee camp, where the strike took place.

“Palestinians opened fire at an army patrol along the security barrier,” the spokesman said. “The soldiers responded by firing in the direction of the attackers.”

Gaza’s borders have been mostly quiet since the end of a 22-day Israeli offensive launched in December 2008 and aimed at halting Palestinian rocket attacks from the territory, which is ruled by the Hamas movement.

Some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed in the fighting.