Gazans pay high price

Jan. 5 - At least three children were among a dozen Palestinian civilians killed on Monday as Israeli troops pressed home a ground assault on Hamas militants in the face of French-led diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire.

The deaths included three children from the Samouni family and their mother when a tank shell hit their home in Gaza city.

The Israeli army said "many dozens" of Islamist fighters had been killed since ground troops went in on Saturday in a stated attempt to end rocket fire by Hamas into southern Israel.

Five more Israeli soldiers were reported to have been wounded during overnight fighting.

A soldier was killed on Sunday, the first Israeli fatality since the start of the ground operation.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the offensive would go on until the neighbouring Israeli communities are safe from attack.

Helen Long reports.