Nine people are dead, including four Hamas members and two children, after a day of Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. One of the children, a 10 year-old girl, was killed along with two adults as a missile hit a Hamas official’s house. Earlier in the day, a 14 year-old boy was killed along with four Hamas members and one other person. Israel confirmed both attacks.

The Israeli military said its evening air strike had been aimed at the house of Ashraf Farawana, a Hamas leader. Even though 5 out of the 9 people killed were not militants, Israel says it is justified since it was targeting militants. At least 7 more innocent people were wounded. “This is an area believed to conceal tunnels and other forms of infrastructure used by terrorist groups,” an Israeli army spokesman told Reuters news agency. Since June, more than 200 Palestinians have been killed by frequent raids on the Gaza Strip.

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