By SPA
Gaza City : Twenty-one Palestinians, including at least eight civilians, were killed late Friday and early Saturday in escalating Israeli-Palestinian fighting that renewed threats of an Israeli invasion of Gaza and clouded peace efforts. A baby and two teenagers were among the dead, and dozens of people were wounded, AP reported.
In all, 54 people have died since Israeli aggression spiked Wednesday. At least 23 were civilians, the youngest a 6-month-old boy.
Hamas said the baby, Malak Karfaneh, died just before midnight Friday in an Israeli strike on Beit Hanoun, a northern town.
Among those killed were at least six men, but also at least four civilians, including a 17-year-old girl and her 16-year-old brother and a 45-year-old man and his 20-year-old son, medical officials said. Medical officials reported that two women and a man were killed after a tank shell struck a house.