Israel launchs more attacks on Gaza to fight Palestinian rocket squads

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-23-2006 13:52

The Israeli military has launched more attacks on Gaza and killed four Palestinians. The government says the operation is to fight Palestinian rocket squads.

Israeli ground troops, tanks and armored vehicles advanced on the two northern Gaza towns of Beit Hanoun and Jebaliya.

Photo : Xinhua

Photo : Xinhua

Israeli forces killed four Gazans in fresh fighting, two militants and two civilians. Hamas commanders have told fighters not to travel in cars, for fear of Israeli airstrikes.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh denounced the Israeli actions. He said Palestinians will not be deterred by Israeli military incursions.

Palestinian PM Ismail Haniyeh said, "These threats will never scare us. The people of Palestine are all confronting the occupation now."

Beit Hanoun was the site of a week-long incursion earlier this month, in which some 50 alleged militants and at least seven civilians were killed. Since the attack on the town, Palestinian militants have fired nearly 100 rockets at Israel in retaliation.

Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisen defended Israel's attacks. She said the operation in Gaza is to stop the rocket attacks, "Israel cannot, will not allow this to continue. We are determined to try and put down this rocket fire. Any country would be compelled to do the same." She added.

Israeli forces and settlers quit Gaza last year, but the military renewed ground operations after Palestinian militants captured an Israeli soldier in a deadly border raid in June. Since then, Israel has killed more than 370 Palestinians in Gaza, about half of them civilians.

Related:Palestine and Israel continue firing : Top Hamas commander killed

Editor:Sun Luying