There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Palestinian health officials said seven people were killed by Israeli air strikes that damaged homes near the hospital. Explosions from shelling and air strikes sounded further west in Khan Younis as the Israeli tanks moved on, with lines of thick black smoke rising from bomb sites. Israel said it had killed six Palestinian fighters, including the southern district Hamas officer in charge of interrogating suspected spies. The Israeli military said its forces had eliminated a "terrorist cell" during a precise air strike on a car near the Balata camp in the city of Nablus.

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Persons: Arafat Barbakh, Tyrone Siu, Nidal, Khan Younis, Nasser, Sean Casey, Israel, Bilal Nofal, Tahreer, Yoav Gallant, Gazans, there's, John Kirby, Abdullah Abu, Crescent, Nidal al, Dan Williams, Clauda, Philippa Fletcher, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, World Health, COMMUNICATIONS, Communications, Palestinian, U.S, House, WEST, West Bank, Israel Locations: GAZA, ISRAEL, DOHA, Israel, Gaza, Jordan, Jordanian, Khan, Rafah, Qatar, France, Egypt, Nablus, Tulkarm, Mughrabi, Doha, Jerusalem, Dubai