JPost.IDF soldiers in Gaza...
32 Palestinians killed, 5 IDF soldiers hurt in GazaBy Avi Issacharoff, Amos Harel, Mijal Grinberg, and Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies
Palestinian mourners chant slogans during the Friday funeral for four Gaza youths killed in an IAF strike the day before. (AP)
At least 32 Palestinians were killed, among them 10 civilians - including five children and three women - during an ongoing Israel Defense Forces ground incursion near the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabaliya which began before dawn Saturday. Five IDF soldiers were wounded during the fighting - three of them lightly and two others who suffered light to moderate injuries. The soldiers were evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheba for treatment. Sources in Gaza report that IDF soldiers exchanged heavy gunfire with Palestinian gunmen on the eastern outskirts of Jabaliya, situated 2-3 kilometers from the fence which lies on the Israel-Gaza border.
At least 32 Palestinians were killed, among them 10 civilians - including five children and three women - during an ongoing Israel Defense Forces ground incursion near the northern Gaza Strip town of Jabaliya which began before dawn Saturday. Five IDF soldiers were wounded during the fighting - three of them lightly and two others who suffered light to moderate injuries. The soldiers were evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheba for treatment. Sources in Gaza report that IDF soldiers exchanged heavy gunfire with Palestinian gunmen on the eastern outskirts of Jabaliya, situated 2-3 kilometers from the fence which lies on the Israel-Gaza border.
The ground forces, which included units from Givati Brigades, the Armored Corps, and the Engineering Corps, received air support from the Israel Air Force. IAF planes launched missiles at groups of armed Palestinians during the fighting. Believed to be among the dead civilians is a 17-year-old girl and her 16-year-old brother, a 45-year-old man and his 20-year-old son, and two sisters thought to be in their early 20s. Tareq Dardouna, a resident of the Jebaliya area, told The Associated Press that a relative was killed outside his home in the crossfire that began raging at 3 A.M. "His body is still on the ground," Dardouna said in a telephone interview from his home, where he was tending to four wounded people. "Ambulances tried to come, but they came under fire. ... We are in a real war." Hamas fighters were unbowed by the spiraling violence.
"The Zionist forces failed in Gaza before," said Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas' military wing. "We will respond to any aggression...with every available means." The remaining Palestinians killed were members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The sisters and another civilian were killed by tank shells that struck two houses in separate attacks, Palestinian officials said. Rescue teams evacuated a 7-month-old boy from one of the houses, unharmed. An IDF spokesperson said the army would look into reports of tank shells hitting houses.
The IDF said the incursion has become routine in recent months, and is not indicative of any change in the army's policies in the territories.
The IDF added that troops have entered the strip on an average of twice a week. Senior officials said Saturday that the increasing number of Qassams fired at the western Negev has no bearing on the continued military raids into Gaza. Rather than making due with pinpoint strikes against rocket launchers, the army is recommending a series of steps against Hamas targets in Gaza. Witnesses said one clash erupted early Saturday when Hamas gunmen engaged IDF troops backed by helicopters that had entered the Gaza Strip. IDF troops have been operating on the outskirts of Beit Hanun in the northern Strip since Thursday night. At least 58 Palestinians have been killed, including 17 children, since Wednesday.
The IDF launched raids and air strikes in the coastal territory in the wake of a massive Qassam rocket barrage on the western Negev that killed an Israeli civilian. Rice, Solana to visit region to discuss peace talks Next week, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to visit the region to try to prod Israel and moderate Palestinians forward in their bid to reach a peace accord by the end of the year.
The two sides declared that goal at a U.S.-sponsored conference in November. Senior European diplomat Javier Solana will also visit the region beginning Sunday, to encourage Israeli and Palestinian leaders to keep the peace process on track, his office said in a statement.
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