Israeli troops in central Gaza Strip exchanged fire with Palestinian fighters Sunday, killing a child and injuring four of the child's family members, according to Palestinian security sources.
An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed Israeli forces were operating near al-Bureij refugee camp.
This incident comes after Israeli Public Security Minister Avi Dichter's chief of staff was shot and wounded Friday in the border region. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert blamed Hamas for Friday's shooting, saying it was "an example and expression of the continuing Hamas terrorism."
"One must understand that Hamas controls Gaza and from our point of view, it is also responsible for all acts of terrorism, all aggressive activity and all shooting that originates there," Olmert said Sunday at the start of his weekly Cabinet meeting. "It is altogether unimportant who claimed responsibility for this or that incident. Hamas, and Hamas alone, is responsible for what happens in" Gaza, he said, according to the CNN.
"It bears the responsibility and it will answer for the results of these terrorist acts, which are designed to hurt Israelis, whether they intended to hit a specific target or are merely claiming this after the fact in order to pat themselves on the back."
