Israeli forces launched air strikes and a ground raid in the Gaza Strip Friday, trading fire with local fighters in clashes that killed seven Palestinians including a 12-year-old boy, Palestinians said. Friday's deaths drove the Palestinian death toll to 13 in Israeli strikes retaliating for an attack that killed two Israeli workers at a border fuel depot Wednesday.
Israeli aircraft killed two Hamas activists in a strike on southern Gaza early Friday, the group said. The Israeli military confirmed the attack, saying it targeted gunmen near the Gaza-Israel border fence. Israeli soldiers crossed into central Gaza Strip and clashed with gunmen in the area. A 12-year old boy was fatally shot in the stomach and six other Palestinians were hurt, medics said.
Later in the day, Israeli forces fired at a group of Palestinians operating near a farm in central Gaza, killing four people and injuring several, including children, witnesses and doctors said.
