Fighting ignites U.N. compound in Gaza

GAZA, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Israeli planes bombed the Gaza home of the Hamas interior minister Thursday, killing Siad Syam and his brother, Palestinian officials said.

A fire raged through a U.N. Relief and Works Agency compound, CNN reported. Firefighters were unable to get to the area to fight the blaze.

The air strike that killed Siad and Ayad Syam injured about 20 other people, sources in the Palestinian Authority told CNN. Israeli military officials said that the bombing was authorized after intelligence confirmed that Syam was in the home and that no civilians were there.

Syam led the Hamas takeover of Gaza in 2007 and is reputed to be the liaison between the Gaza organization and Khaled Meshaal, the group's political chief, who lives in Damascus, Syria.

Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza, have rejected a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is in the region to try to end the fighting that began Dec. 27 and Arab leaders work to broker a cease-fire.

The Israeli military said it planned to allow 170 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to enter the territory Thursday.

As of Wednesday, Palestinian officials said more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 5,000 wounded since the conflict began, CNN reported. Israel said 10 of its soldiers and three civilians have been killed and more than 100 soldiers have been wounded.