23 Aug 2014

Israel promises Hamas a 'heavy price'

6:59 am on 23 August 2014

Israel says a mortar bomb fired from Gaza has killed a four-year-old Israeli child in a border collective farm.

The boy is the fourth civilian in Israel to be killed in an attack from the coastal territory since the outbreak of the current conflict between Hamas and Israel in early July.

And the first Israeli death since an Egyptian-brokered truce broke down earlier this week.

Palestinian men walking under the toppled minaret of a mosque in Gaza City which was almost completely destroyed in an Israeli airstrike.

Palestinian men walking under the toppled minaret of a mosque in Gaza City which was almost completely destroyed in an Israeli airstrike. Photo: AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed harsh retribution against Hamas for the boy's death.

Hamas sources in Gaza say 18 people suspected of collaborating with Israel have been executed.

More than 2,070 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 67 Israelis, mostly troops, have been killed in six weeks.

Speaking after the death was confirmed, Mr Netanyahu said Hamas would "pay a heavy price for the crime".

Hostilities between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza resumed on Tuesday, scuppering efforts in Cairo to achieve a long-term ceasefire deal.

Hamas has insisted on a lifting of the economic blockade of Gaza as part of any longer-term deal.

Israel has vowed to pursue its campaign until "full security" is achieved through the disarmament of Hamas and other groups in Gaza.

Hamas sources said Friday's executions had been carried out by what it called the Resistance, which may suggest the involvement of other armed Palestinian factions.

Hamas officials told Reuters that the first 11 executions were carried out at an abandoned police station.

Witnesses said another seven people were shot by men in Hamas uniforms outside the Al-Umari mosque in central Gaza.

After the first 11 executions, Hamas warned that "the same punishment will be imposed soon on others".

It added that "the current circumstances forced us to take such decisions", suggesting a link between the executions and the killing of the three senior Hamas leaders.