Smoke rises following explosions from an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, Jan. 13, 2009. [Xinhua]

The Israeli army has intensified on Wednesday morning its strikes on several targets in Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, killing four Palestinians as the Israeli offensive on the enclave continues on the 19th day.

Gaza residents said that Israeli warplanes struck on Wednesday morning a house in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in northern Gaza City, killing one Palestinian civilian in a next door house, where 10 other people wounded.

A Palestinian who was injured in an Israeli army strike is rushed to Shifa hospital in Gaza City, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009.[Xinhua]

The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) announced in a statement sent to reporters that two of its militants were also killed in an Israeli F-16 warplanes airstrike east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah.

Another Palestinian militant, a member of the Islamic Jihad's armed wing Saraya al-Quds, was killed when an Israeli warplane struck him as he was driving a motorcycle in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, local radio reported Wednesday that Israeli warplanes fired dozens of smoke bombs on central Gaza City, adding that Gaza was covered with heavy white smoke. Gaza main central park was also badly damaged.

Back to Rafah town, residents in the town said that Israeli warplanes continued on Wednesday morning launching missiles at the borderline between the town and Egypt, adding that at least 40 missiles hit the area.

A Palestinian child who was injured in an Israeli army strike is rushed to Kmal Idwan hospital in Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip Jan. 13, 2009.Xinhua]

Palestinians dug hundreds of tunnels under the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt for smuggling goods from Egypt into the enclave which is under strict Israeli blockade.

On Tuesday, 48 Palestinians were killed, 11 of them were from the village of Khoza'a east of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, where 40 houses in the village were badly damaged.

Mo'aweya Hassanein, emergency chief said on Wednesday morning that 977 Palestinians were killed and 4500 wounded since the beginning of the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip on Dec. 27, 2008.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2009)