Three Palestinian gunmen killed a Thai guest worker on Wednesday after infiltrating a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip before being shot dead in an attack claimed by Hamas as retaliation for a massive Israeli offensive.
The Palestinian death toll from the 7-day-old raid to stop rocket fire from the Gaza Strip rose to 75 on Wednesday when Israeli shelling killed three civilians in their homes. Among the dead are 45 militants. Three Israelis have also died.
The Palestinian group Hamas, sworn to destroying Israel and behind many of the rockets fired from the northern Gaza Strip, claimed responsibility for the attack on southern Kfar Darom and said it was a response to the offensive.
Three gunmen infiltrated the settlement and battled troops among its hothouses. They killed a Thai worker, one of many who labour on the settlements, before being shot dead. Settlers said the Thai had been taken hostage briefly.