Israeli forces killed 17 Palestinians, most of them civilians including a Reuters cameraman, in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Wednesday, medical officials and witnesses said.
The dead included Fadel Shana, 23, a Reuters cameraman who was felled while trying to film in central Gaza. Footage from Shana's camera showed an Israeli tank firing a shell in his direction from several hundred metres (yards) away. At least three youths, a 67-year-old man, and four Hamas gunmen were also among the Palestinian dead.
Hamas officials said 12 people were killed in the central Gaza Strip on Wednesday afternoon following an Israeli air strike. Reports from Gaza Strip claimed that among the victims were a mother and her son.
A further 17 Palestinians were wounded in the attack on the camp, medics said, according to AFP.
An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the air force had operated in the area, saying it was targeting gunmen.
