Gaza death toll rises to 68

Palestinians gather around a destroyed house after an Israeli air strike in Gaza City Nov 18, 2012. Israel bombed militant targets in Gaza for a fifth straight day on Sunday, launching aerial and naval attacks as its military prepared for a possible ground invasion, though Egypt saw "some indications" of a truce ahead. [Photo/Agencies]

GAZA - The Israeli military continued pounding Gaza for a fifth day on Sunday, killing 68 Palestinians so far.

Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman for the health ministry, said that the dead include 15 children, three women and four old men.

In the latest attacks, Israeli gunboats fired two shells towards Al-Shatie refugee camp in western Gaza city, killing a member of the military wing of Islamic Hamas movement and a girl who was playing nearby.

Witnesses and relatives identified the killed were Ahmed Nahal, 24 years old, and eight-year-old Tasneem Nahal.

Though a Hamas member, Ahmed Nahal was described by his relatives as not in a state of fighting.

Early Sunday afternoon, rescue workers pulled the body of a woman, 52, from beneath the rubble of her house which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike.

The violence in Gaza is the fiercest in years. It started Wednesday when Israel killed the commander of the armed wing of Hamas which controls Gaza.

Responding to Israeli attacks, Hamas used long-range rockets for the first time, sending them to the outskirts of Jerusalem and Israel's central city of Tel Aviv.

A Palestinian walks past a burning house after an Israeli air strike in Gaza City Nov 18, 2012. Israel bombed militant targets in Gaza for a fifth straight day on Sunday, launching aerial and naval attacks as its military prepared for a possible ground invasion, though Egypt saw "some indications" of a truce ahead. [Photo/Agencies]