Israeli troops kill Gaza fighters
Soldiers shoot dead two men, allegedly carrying explosives, near crossing point.
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Fighting has largely abated along the tense frontier since Israel’s devastating war on Gaza’s Hamas rulers early this year, but sporadic clashes and rocket fire have continued.
Gaza is still struggling to rebuild after the offensive Israel launched nearly five months ago and which claimed more than 1,300 lives in Gaza, including more than 900 civilians, according to Palestinian officials and human rights groups.
Outposts demolished
Separately, in the occupied West Bank, Israeli security forces have demolished a minor Jewish settlement outpost.
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| Jeiwsh settlers began to rebuild after Israeli forces demolished their small outpost [EPA] |
The move comes three days after Barack Obama, the US president, told Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, that Israel must halt its illegal settlement activity.
The continued expansion of settlements has obstructed peace talks with the Palestinains.
Within hours of the outpost being removed the settlers began rebuilding.
“Every time they demolish it, it is rebuilt and that is what comforts me,” Emuna Ben-Yona, one of the residents, was reported by the Associated Press as saying.
There are more than 100 outposts, considered illegal under international law, on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.
Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman, said that troops and police evicted settlers who had been staying in seven metal huts, and removed the structures.
He said there was no violent resistance and no arrests were made.