Israel kills 17 in strike on Gaza refugees

ISRAELI forces yesterday killed at least 17 Palestinians after three soldiers died in a deadly Hamas ambush in Gaza's worst fighting since an Israeli incursion last month.

Among the Palestinian dead was a Reuters cameraman Fadel Shana, 23, who was killed by a missile strike along with two bystanders while working in the central Gaza Strip, according to local residents.

Most of the fatalities came during an Israeli airstrike at Bureij Refugee Camp.

Palestinian reports said that a 67-year old man and two youths were killed, while Hamas officials put the number of civilians killed at nine. Israeli army officials said yesterday's strikes targeted Palestinian gunmen.

The carnage dealt a further blow to faltering Egyptian efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that would end rocket attacks and stop Israeli incursions.

Earlier in the day, clashes erupted after Hamas gunmen approached Gaza's perimeter fence with Israel near the Nahal Oz fuel terminal, which was the site of a Palestinian attack last week that killed two Israeli workers. "Soldiers arrived at the scene and there was an exchange of fire in which three soldiers were killed and three wounded," said an army spokeswoman.