RAFAH, May 20, 2004 (WAFA) - Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed early Thursday five civilians in the Gaza Strip city of Rafah, medics and witnesses said.... Officials at Nasser Hospital said that five civilians were killed when Israeli Apache gunships and tanks opened fire at citizens in al-Brazil and al-Salam neighbourhood.... They added that Israeli forces opened fire at ambulances prevented them from reaching the scene of the crime were many bodies are still spilling all around the streets.... Local sources said that Israeli soldiers wantonly opened heavy machine gunfire at civilians' houses causing a state of panic among inhabitants, mostly children and women.... Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers backed by tanks and Apache helicopters imposed a tighten curfew around al-Brazil and al-Salam neighbourhoods preventing civilians from leaving their houses.... WAFA reporter said that inhabitants of the two areas are facing a sharp shortage of medicine, food and water.... He added that Israeli bulldozers backed by tanks demolished two houses and a sport club in al-Brazil camp.... Witnesses added that Israeli soldiers launched a house-to-house search campaign into civilians' houses turning most of them into military posts.