Israeli soldiers opened fire on Tuesday at an area northeast of Jabalia town in northern Gaza Strip, killing a Palestinian farmer, witnesses and medics said.

Witnesses said that Israeli soldiers who are still stationed east of the town in northern Gaza Strip opened fire at the farmer as soon as he approached his farm to check it after 22 days of Israeli military offensive on the enclave.

Gaza emergency chief Mo'aweya Hassanein said that three were killed on Tuesday, adding that two children were killed in an explosion of an Israeli bomb east of Gaza city and a Palestinian farmer shot dead east of Jabalia.

He added that in addition to the farmer and the two children were killed, 12 bodies were found under rubbles on Monday after 100 bodies were found under rubbles of destroyed houses on Sunday.

Meanwhile, experts of explosives in Hamas security forces in Gaza warned the residents and children not to touch or play with any mysterious objects, and immediately call the police in case such objects are found.

Hassanein said that 1415 Palestinians were killed during the 22- day Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip and 5,500 were injured.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2009)