JERUSALEM, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The artillery shells that killed 19 Palestinians in northern Gaza Wednesday deviated from the target, an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) initial investigation showed.

    IDF GOC Southern Command Yoav Galant told Channel 2 that a number of malfunctions related to an artillery battery may have been the cause for the incident.

    "Our estimate is that it was something connected with the aiming devices, or the alignment, or the balance between them, or our radar's location of the shell hit ... Our investigation is concentrating on these points," Galant was quoted by Ha'aretz newspaper as saying.

    Early Wednesday morning, Israeli tank shells struck houses in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, killing at least 19 Palestinians and wounding dozens of others. Eight children and four women were among the dead.

    Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz ordered Chief of Staff Dan Halutz to submit an initial investigation of the incident by Thursday evening. He also ordered that the Rafah crossing be opened to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, Israel Radio reported.