Israel reoccupies Gaza as Mideast crisis soars

GAZA CITY – Israeli tanks and troops thrust deeper into Gaza yesterday amid deadly clashes, occupying three former Jewish settlements in their biggest offensive since withdrawing from the territory 10 months ago.

Four Palestinians were killed as Israeli aircraft and artillery pounded the territory and troops moved further into Palestinian areas in both the north and south following a ninth consecutive night of air strikes and artillery assault. The push effectively created a buffer zone in the northern Gaza Strip and followed a second rocket attack on the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon in as many nights that however caused no casualties.Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniya condemned Israel’s offensive as “collective punishment” against the Palestinians and demanded the international community intervene.The two-pronged onslaught on the territory comes amid continued efforts to secure the release of a soldier abducted by Palestinian militants on June 25.In northern Gaza, ground forces, armoured vehicles and sappers advanced four kilometres in a bid to expand a unilaterally declared interdiction zone aimed at preventing incessant rocket attacks on Israel.Further Israeli troops massed outside the towns of Beit Hanun and Beit Lahiya, in the deepest Israeli ground thrust since the 19-year-old Gilad Shalit was captured 11 days ago, sparking the worst Middle East crisis in months.A 20-year-old civilian was killed by machine-gun fire from an Israeli tank in the Beit Lahiya, where Palestinian gunmen put up a heavy fight in a neighbourhood partially reoccupied by Israeli soldiers at dawn.Two members of the armed wing of the governing Palestinian movement Hamas – which claimed responsibility for Shalit’s abduction – and a policeman were killed earlier in helicopter raids and tank shelling.Trucks and infantry took over the remains of Dugit, Elei Sinai and Nissanit, razed last year as part of Israel’s historic pullout from the impoverished territory that had meant to draw the curtain on a 38-year occupation.”Our forces will deploy as deeply and as long as necessary to guarantee rockets can no longer reach the towns of Ashkelon and Sderot,” Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer told army radio.”There is no motivation to stay there.We have no interest in returning.We have a simple interest to prevent the continuation of firing at our communities,” he added.Tzahi Hanegbi, chairman of parliament’s defence and foreign affairs committee, however, did not rule out the possibility should Palestinian rocket attacks continue, saying “it could also be years”.Local residents, fearing for their lives when faced with the ominous sight of approaching Israeli armour, said they had fled their homes at dawn.”I left behind my father and mother this morning to save my life.The Israelis have come back to stay, it’s the beginning of another occupation,” said Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militant Mohammed al-Tanani.Palestinian officials and residents believe Israel is using the soldier’s capture as an excuse to try to topple the Hamas government sworn in last March.Around 50 tanks and armoured vehicles already operating in the southern Gaza Strip, moved a short distance further into Palestinian land in what an army spokeswoman said was a mission to uncover tunnels and explosive devices.- Nampa-AFPThe push effectively created a buffer zone in the northern Gaza Strip and followed a second rocket attack on the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon in as many nights that however caused no casualties.Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniya condemned Israel’s offensive as “collective punishment” against the Palestinians and demanded the international community intervene.The two-pronged onslaught on the territory comes amid continued efforts to secure the release of a soldier abducted by Palestinian militants on June 25.In northern Gaza, ground forces, armoured vehicles and sappers advanced four kilometres in a bid to expand a unilaterally declared interdiction zone aimed at preventing incessant rocket attacks on Israel.Further Israeli troops massed outside the towns of Beit Hanun and Beit Lahiya, in the deepest Israeli ground thrust since the 19-year-old Gilad Shalit was captured 11 days ago, sparking the worst Middle East crisis in months.A 20-year-old civilian was killed by machine-gun fire from an Israeli tank in the Beit Lahiya, where Palestinian gunmen put up a heavy fight in a neighbourhood partially reoccupied by Israeli soldiers at dawn.Two members of the armed wing of the governing Palestinian movement Hamas – which claimed responsibility for Shalit’s abduction – and a policeman were killed earlier in helicopter raids and tank shelling.Trucks and infantry took over the remains of Dugit, Elei Sinai and Nissanit, razed last year as part of Israel’s historic pullout from the impoverished territory that had meant to draw the curtain on a 38-year occupation.”Our forces will deploy as deeply and as long as necessary to guarantee rockets can no longer reach the towns of Ashkelon and Sderot,” Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer told army radio.”There is no motivation to stay there.We have no interest in returning.We have a simple interest to prevent the continuation of firing at our communities,” he added.Tzahi Hanegbi, chairman of parliament’s defence and foreign affairs committee, however, did not rule out the possibility should Palestinian rocket attacks continue, saying “it could also be years”.Local residents, fearing for their lives when faced with the ominous sight of approaching Israeli armour, said they had fled their homes at dawn.”I left behind my father and mother this morning to save my life.The Israelis have come back to stay, it’s the beginning of another occupation,” said Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militant Mohammed al-Tanani.Palestinian officials and residents believe Israel is using the soldier’s capture as an excuse to try to topple the Hamas government sworn in last March.Around 50 tanks and armoured vehicles already operating in the southern Gaza Strip, moved a short distance further into Palestinian land in what an army spokeswoman said was a mission to uncover tunnels and explosive devices.- Nampa-AFP