Ibrahim Abu Tahoun, an observer based in Gaza City, said "In less than 24 hours, some 82 people were killed and 150 wounded in a series of massacres committed by the Israeli army in airstrikes on central and northern Gaza Strip."

Palestinians take shelter at a United Nations aid centre situated in a school in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, January 6, 2009. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday rejected a European Union (EU) request for a 48-hour ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, vowing to push ahead the offensive in the Gaza Strip till security is restored to southern regions of Israel. [Wissam Nassar/Xinhua]

Mo'aweya Hassanein, chief of emergency and ambulance services in the Palestinian Health Ministry, told reporters up to Tuesday 670 people have been killed and around 3,000 others wounded since the launch of the Israeli offensive on December 27.

Hundreds of families went to the school run by the UNRWA to take shelter after their houses were either destroyed or threatened to be destroyed by the Israeli army warplanes.

The UNRWA spokesman in Gaza said the UN group, which offers humanitarian aid to two thirds of the Gaza population, decided to open 10 of its schools in the Gaza Strip as shelters.

Eyewitnesses near the school said two tank shells landed into the schoolyard, adding that dozens were killed and injured, and were all taken to three major hospitals.

"Dozens of people, who were inside the school, turned into pieces and most of them were women and children," said Hassan, a Palestinian paramedic, who asked not to give his second name.

Palestinians wait in line to buy bread outside a bakery in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, January 6, 2009. [Wissam Nassar/Xinhua]

Abu Tahoun, the Palestinian observer, expected that "the massacre in Jabalia today reminds us of the massacre committed on the Lebanese village of Qana, when so many civilians were killed by Israeli shelling in 1996."

He said Qana massacre obliged Israel to end its offensive on Lebanon after it was embarrassed by the world public opinion, and "I hope that this massacre would embarrass Israel again and stop this war soon."

The Israeli army earlier targeted another school in the beach refugee camp, killing three people of the al-Dayah family. Thirteen others of the family were killed in another strike in Gaza City.

Tuesday's predawn witnessed a series of airstrikes and shelling, mainly on central Gaza Strip, where a father and two of his children were killed in al-Bureij refugee camp.

Also 10 more Palestinians, including two Islamic Jihad militants were killed in separate airstrikes and tanks shelling on the Gaza Strip early on Tuesday morning.

Palestinians wait in line to buy bread outside a bakery in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, January 6, 2009. [Wissam Nassar/Xinhua]

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2009)