[QODLink]
Middle East
Israel launches Gaza incursion
Palestinian fighter killed as Israelis enter Gaza for first time since ceasefire.
Last Modified: 05 Apr 2007 05:18 GMT

Ramez Awad al-Zaanin was killed as he tried
to plant an explosive device [AFP]

Israeli soldiers have entered the Gaza Strip for the first time since November, killing at least one Palestinian fighter.

Troops in tanks, bulldozers and jeeps moved 500m into farmland near the village of Beit Hanoun and clashed with Palestinians near the separation barrier, security sources said on Wednesday.
The Islamic Jihad group said that soldiers had shot and killed Ramez Awad al-Zaanin, as he was trying to plant an explosive device in the path of oncoming tanks.

A second fighter was wounded.
Israel said it had carried out a limited incursion after three Palestinians were seen trying to plant an explosive charge and said it immediately withdrew its soldiers afterwards.
  
Your Views

"Peace in Palestine is possible if Israel considers itself not above international law and still abides by UN Security Council resolutions"

AbuAsran, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Send us your views

"A unit operating on the Israeli side saw three men placing an explosive charge close to the fence," a spokesman told the AFP news agency.
  
"The soldiers penetrated inside the area and exchanged fire with the militants, hitting two of them," he added.

On Monday, Amir Peretz, the Israeli defence minister, authorised the army to carry out limited operations in the Gaza Strip.

He told reporters that Israel would "not allow the continued strengthening and arming" of Palestinian groups.

Some fighters have continued to fire rockets into Israel from the territories despite a ceasefire agreement.
Source:
Agencies
Topics in this article
Country
City
Featured on Al Jazeera
An unflinching portrait of physical labour in the 21st century.
The stark choice between a fascist or an imperialist course in Syria should be discarded for a third and better course.
Israel's propaganda machine carefully chooses its words to assert illegal ownership over Jerusalem and Palestine.
As Western fears grow over Iran's continuing nuclear programme, we ask how a military strike could impact the region.
<  > 
join our mailing list

Enter Zip Code
Go