Gaza City: Eleven Palestinians were killed and over 30 injured today (May 18, 2004) during a major Israeli raid on the Rafah refugee camp in the Southern Gaza Strip, while another died while trying to plant a bomb, medical sources at Rafah hospital said.

Three of the victims were shot dead by Israeli troops in the Western Tel al-Sultan neighbourhood of the camp.

Five other Palestinians were killed when Israeli helicopters fired six missiles at the Bilal mosque in Tel al-Sultan an hour earlier, Rafah hospital director Dr Ali Mussa said.

Another 20 people were injured in that attack, several of whom were in serious condition, he said.

Shortly after the airstrike, security sources and witnesses reported seeing more than 40 tanks completely taking over the area. Several military bulldozers also entered Tel al-Sultan and began razing buildings, but there was no immediate estimate as to how many were being destroyed.

Another three people were killed and eight injured in an earlier airstrike on the flashpoint border town, while a fourth died while trying to plant a bomb, which apparently malfunctioned.