A large explosion in northern Gaza on Tuesday killed an eight-year-old boy and his six-year-old sister and injured five other children, Palestinian health officials said.
Witnesses said a group of children stumbled upon a homemade rocket or a mortar shell and began playing with it. The device exploded, injuring all seven children, two of whom died later of their wounds.
Moaiya Hassanain, a Palestinian health official, said the explosion occurred in the village of Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip, and the wounded were evacuated to hospital.
The area is a frequent launching pad for gunmen who fire rockets toward Israel.
No Palestinian group accused the army of the explosion. The IDF often targets gunmen in air strikes in the region.