Isreali Planes Strike in Gaza, Three Dead

Three persons, one of them a 14-year-old boy, was killed when Israeli military launched air strikes overnight in the Gaza Strip, said Palestinian medics.

According to reports, Israeli military said that it launched strikes to respond to mortar and rocket attacks on Thursday on Israel from Gaza.

It said that it attacked two tunnels on the border with Egypt, one of which was to be used by militants for crossing into Israel and a weapons making site.

Reports said that Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah were hit by the strikes.

Hamas, the militant group which controls Gaza, said that one strike also hit a building in Gaza City.

After mortar attacks on Israel by Palestinian militants, Israeli planes dropped thousands of leaflets over the Gaza Strip warning civilians to steer clear of the border, said reports.

According to the Israeli military, Gaza militants have fired more than 280 rockets or mortars at Israel since the end of a devastating offensive against the territory on January 18.

Palestinian groups and human right organisations say about 1,400 Palestinians died during the offensive. Thirteen Israelis also died in the fighting.