Gaza - An 8-year-old Palestinian girl was killed early Wednesday in an Israeli shelling in southern Gaza Strip, hospital sources and witnesses said.

Three other people from the same family of the girl, Hadeel al-Summiri, were also injured when a tank shell landed on their house in al-Qarara village in the east of Khan Younis city.

According to residents, Israeli tanks rolled into the area, fired a shell that landed on the house and caused great damage, killing the girl.

Israeli soldiers refused to allow ambulances to enter the area, which lies by the security fence which separates between Israel and Gaza, the residents said.

Hospital officials said the body of the girl was cut into pieces.

The residents said at least eight tanks and two bulldozers came to the area from the nearby Kissufim commercial crossing under heavy gun fire.

The Israeli cabinet met Tuesday to approve a military operation into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip to stop rocket attacks by Palestinian militants. (dpa)