2006年VOA标准英语-At Least Seven Palestinian Civilians Killed by

（单词翻译）

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
09 June 2006

At least seven Palestinian civilians¹ have been killed in Israeli shelling in the Gaza Strip.  
 
 
Injured girl is treated by medics at hospital in northern Gaza Strip, Friday
  
Israeli artillery² shells slammed into a Gaza beach and scored a direct hit on a Palestinian family at a picnic.

Palestinian officials say three children were among the dead, including twins.

Israeli canons and gunboats have been shelling areas used by Palestinian militants⁴ who have been firing rockets at Israel for weeks. The army says some shells apparently⁵ went astray.

"We have no intention of harming innocent civilians and we are very sorry about it," Galant told Israel Television. "But at the same time," he said, "we have a duty to defend the citizens of Israel from rocket attacks," said General Yoav Galant, head of Israel's Southern Command.

Jamal Abu Samhadana (File photo)   
  
The incident is further escalating⁶ tensions after Israel assassinated⁷ a top Palestinian security chief appointed by the new government of the Islamic militant³ group Hamas. Jamal Abu Samhadana and three other militants were killed in an Israeli air strike that Hamas described as a direct attack on the Palestinian Authority.

"The Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves," said Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. The Hamas military wing went a step further, vowing⁸ to resume suicide bombings in Israeli cities. If that happens, it would mean an end to the truce declared by Hamas 16 months ago, and a new round of bloodshed