Israeli troops operating in the northern Gaza Strip today shot and killed seven Palestinians, including three brothers and their cousin, Palestinian hospital officials said.
Fourteen others were wounded in the attack on the first day of the three-day Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.
The Israeli army said it hit 10 militants on a mission to launch rockets at southern Israel. Palestinian security said the troops opened fire on a group of Palestinians.
The Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella of Palestinian militant groups in Gaza, said the target of the Israeli operation appeared to be Ata Shindari, who led the group's rocket-launching branch.
Shindari and one of his brothers were killed in the Israeli attack, Abu Abir, the group's spokesman, said.
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