WORLD> Middle East
Israeli tanks rumble into Gaza, drawing mortar fire
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-19 07:48

Israeli tanks forged into the southern Gaza Strip yesterday, drawing mortar fire from Palestinian militants and intensifying violence that has chipped away at a tenuous cease-fire.

Israel and Hamas have been trading fire for two weeks after nearly five months of relative quiet. The June 19 truce is due to expire next month, and both sides might be trying to dictate more favorable terms in anticipation of the agreement's renewal.

The tanks, backed by a bulldozer and military jeep, rumbled about half a km deep into the tiny seaside strip, residents and Gaza security officials said. Residents said they leveled lands along the border east of the city of Rafah. It was the first ground action in a week.

The tanks did not respond to the Palestinian fire.

The Israeli military described the activity as "a routine operation to uncover explosive devices near the border fence in the southern Gaza Strip." It said two mortars were fired at troops, causing no injuries or damage.

Militant groups said they fired both mortars and rockets. Gaza security officials said the military withdrew from the area by early afternoon.

At least 17 militants have been killed since the truce began unraveling, and by the military's count, militants have fired more than 140 rockets and mortars at Israel.

Border crossings shut again

In another report, Israel resealed border crossings with the Gaza Strip yesterday citing continued rocket fire at its towns, despite warnings from world aid groups of looming shortages of food and fuel supplies in the coastal territory.

Israel had allowed 33 truckloads of supplies into Gaza for the first time in two weeks on Monday, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas he would not permit a humanitarian crisis to develop there.

"The crossings are shut because of ongoing rocket fire," Peter Lerner, a defense spokesman said, referring to several barrages of rockets fired from Gaza on Monday that slammed into Israeli towns, causing no injury.

International aid groups said the supplies sent in on Monday were not enough to alleviate food shortages.

Israel has also held up fuel shipments to Gaza's main power plant, leading to daily electricity blackouts for many of the 1.5 million Palestinians living in the territory.

Israel had not allowed UNRWA, a United Nations agency that aids some 750,000 refugees in Gaza, to bring in supplies since Nov 4 during cross-border fighting in which more than a dozen Palestinian fighters were killed.

Several Israelis have been lightly wounded by dozens of rockets fired by gunmen after the Israeli raids.

Agencies

(China Daily 11/19/2008 page12)