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Hamas gunmen taking cover on Saturday during an IDF operation near the northern Gaza town of Jabalya. (AP)
Last update - 02:39 03/03/2008
10 Palestinians killed, 4 troops hurt in ongoing Gaza offensive
By Amos Harel, Avi Issacharoff, Yuval Azoulay and Mijal Grinberg, Haaretz Correspondents and Agencies
Tags: IDF, Qassam, Gaza 

Ten Palestinians were killed and four Israel Defense Forces troops were lightly wounded as intense fighting between the IDF and Gaza militants continued amid ongoing rocket fire.

Meanwhile, Palestinian militants in Gaza fired 21 rockets at southern Israel, leaving one person lightly wounded.

The Israel Air Force carried out two strikes on the Gaza Strip on Sunday evening, after a few hours of relative quiet.
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In one incident, the IAF attacked the western Gaza home of Palestinian Resistance Committee militant Khalil Ahel, who was killed in a strike two days ago.

The IAF also carried out another strike in a separate location in Gaza during the evening. There was no word of injuries in either of the latest attacks.

Earlier Sunday, two Palestinians were killed during an ongoing IDF operation in Jabaliya, in the northern Strip. Palestinian sources said a 21-month-old baby girl was also among Sunday's dead.

Several other Palestinians succumbed to wounds suffered in Saturday's fighting, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed since before dawn Saturday to more than 70.

IDF ground troops continued to operate Sunday in northern Gaza City in an attempt to stem the ongoing Qassam rocket fire at Israeli communities.

IDF Ground Forces Commander Avi Mizrachi said ground troops are operating with the assistance of the air force.

Palestinian militants set off a bomb next to the troops Sunday morning, but there were no injuries.

The IDF is taking up key positions in the city, and conducting extensive searches for militants. Troops are also questioning residents in order to determine their level of involvement in terrorism.

Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Harel called the fighting "difficult and concentrated," adding that the operation is continuing uninterrupted deep in the Gaza Strip and along the border.

"This is combat in a dense built-up area," he said. "The enemy has thus far lost dozens of its fighters and its infrastructure has been damaged. The IDF will not be deterred from fulfilling its duty, which is to defend the citizens of Israel. Unfortunately the road is still long but we are determined to complete the mission."

IAF hits Haniyeh's headquarters in Gaza

IAF aircraft struck seven targets in the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Sunday, including the Gaza headquarters of Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, who was deposed as Palestinian prime minister following Hamas' violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last June.

The IAF fired three missiles at the building, which completely collapsed, and at least five people were wounded in the strike, according to Palestinian witnesses.

Hamas said in response that the strike "crossed all red lines regarding the Zionist enemy's fire."

In addition to Haniyeh's headquarters, three arms warehouses were targeted, including two in southern Gaza and one in Jabalya, the IDF said. The military also struck three weapons production facilities, two of them in Gaza City and one in Rafah.

The IDF also opened fire on an armed militant in northern Gaza, and said troops confirmed hitting him.

On Saturday, two IDF soldiers and 63 Palestinians were killed in an IDF operation in northern Gaza City. The operation is expected to continue for several days.

Over the weekend dozens of Qassam rockets and Katyushas were fired at Ashkelon, Sderot and communities bordering the Gaza Strip. Seven Israeli civilians were lightly wounded.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority announced the suspension of talks with Israel.


The soldiers who were killed - Staff Sergeant Doron Assulin, 20, of Be'er Sheva, and Staff Sergeant Eran Dan-Gur, 20, of Jerusalem- were hit in the early stage of the operation as troops deployed.

Egypt opens Gaza border in order to evacuate the wounded

Egypt unsealed a sensitive border crossing on Sunday to let Palestinians wounded in an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip cross into Egypt for
medical care.

Egyptian security sources at the Rafah border crossing - largely closed since the Hamas Islamist group seized control of Gaza last June - said at least 40 wounded Palestinian civilians crossed into Egypt on Sunday.

Ambulances waited at the border to take more wounded.

"It is inconceivable for Egypt not to extend a hand of aid and assistance to its Palestinian brothers, especially the wounded among them, who have been falling in recent days during brutal Israeli military operations," Egypt's foreign ministry said in a statement.

The statement added that Egypt had taken the decision to admit the Palestinians as part of "assuming a humanitarian duty toward what the Palestinian people are facing."

Egyptian security sources said Egypt had not set a limit on how many Palestinians would be allowed in. North Sinai Governor Ahmed Abdel Hamid said he expected the number of wounded Palestinians entering Egypt would exceed 200.

"We have mobilized all our efforts to receive and treat our Palestinian brothers in our hospitals," Emad Kharboush, a medical official at El-Arish hospital, told The Associated Press.

Hospitals in the northern Sinai were on alert and state news agency MENA said some wounded would be taken to Cairo for treatment.

Sunday was the first time Egypt has agreed to open the crossing since Hamas blew up part of the border wall on January 23, letting hundreds of thousands of Palestinians cross over.

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      1.   The soccer player 03:30  |  Walid 02/03/08
      2.   Hamas wants to end the current round of violence 03:32  |  vik 02/03/08
      3.   When war on terror becomes terror 03:39  |  Mandela 02/03/08
      4.   One Must Remember 04:06  |  Douglas Fireman 02/03/08
      5.   Flattening Hamas buildings is effective 04:14  |  Conroy 02/03/08
      6.   Seventy! 04:20  |  Colin Wright 02/03/08
      7.   level every warehouse 04:27  |  real vision 02/03/08
      8.   Empty Building 04:55  |  Al 02/03/08
      9.   Hamas leaders must personally pay the price 05:10  |  Eli 02/03/08
      10.   Hamas` fault 05:23  |  Harry 02/03/08
      11.   No peace talks 05:23  |  jeff 02/03/08
      12.   Israel is keeping up the pressure because it wants to force Hamas 05:25  |  Shloimele 02/03/08
      13.   Get real for once! 05:31  |  Brain 02/03/08
      14.   This is an Israeli - Palestinian Issue - Outsiders MYOB 05:43  |  J 02/03/08
      15.   No relenting 06:03  |  Berner 02/03/08
      16.   Hamas Wants to End the Violence... 06:05  |  Josh 02/03/08
      17.   Two Years Of Chances To Stop Quassams 06:46  |  Yosemite 02/03/08
      18.   Canadian Perspective 06:53  |  Jordy 02/03/08
      19.   Walid don`t hide behind Palestinians and don`t talk in their name 06:55  |  Abdul 02/03/08
      20.   #14: i wonder how u would respond.... 07:05  |  neutral man 02/03/08
      21.   DANGEROUS ESCALATION BY HAMAS 07:21  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/03/08
      22.   Criminal Act 07:27  |  Steven Grumman 02/03/08
      23.   Counter Strikes Against Terror Arabs Must Lead To Transfer 07:33  |  Joseph . E 02/03/08
      24.   #1 Walid 07:34  |  Mr Smith 02/03/08
      25.   What is next? Gas chambers? 07:34  |  Jonno 02/03/08
      26.   Self Defense 07:37  |  US CITIZEN 02/03/08
      27.   Hamas wants what?? 07:57  |  Webster 02/03/08
      28.   Many civilians were also killed in the operation. 07:57  |  Jon 02/03/08
      29.   #6 - Colin, you might want to check your arithmatic 07:58  |  JES 02/03/08
      30.   ONE GOOD THNG CAME OUT OF THE STRIKE:SUSPENSION OF SHAMEFUL TALKS 07:58  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 02/03/08
      31.   THE BLOODY HAND OF IRAN 07:58  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/03/08
      32.   WHY SEND JEWISH BOY ON ERRAND MISSIONS?RETAKE GAZA ONCE & FOR ALL 08:00  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 02/03/08
      33.   Why this massacre IDF? 08:38  |  Leser 02/03/08
      34.   Israel: keep up the pressure on Hamas 08:48  |  Nechama 02/03/08
      35.   Back to Gaza. 08:56  |  Jean Van Daem 02/03/08
      36.   This is INSANE! 08:56  |  Nizar 02/03/08
      37.   Walid crying the wrong song 08:56  |  Joe Sittizen 02/03/08
      38.   There are ONLY military solutions! 09:17  |  Warmonger 02/03/08
      39.   Colin Wright is... wrong 09:20  |  Eldar 02/03/08
      40.   Nizar - yes, this is the problem 09:22  |  Eldar 02/03/08
      41.   Why is Hamas crying they told us all they want to be Martyrs 09:23  |  Shepherd 02/03/08
      42.   INSANITY RULES THE ARABS 09:36  |  No Hope Anymore 02/03/08
      43.   The boneheads of Israel have just booked a suicide bombing 10:19  |  Clickfool 02/03/08
      44.   The boneheads of Israel have just booked a suicide bombing 10:19  |  Clickfool 02/03/08
      45.   Are "avenge-killings" a sign of a civilised nation....???? 10:22  |  Swiss (Dino) 02/03/08
      46.   If I were an NGO, the place where I would be... 10:23  |  Joe Sittizen 02/03/08
      47.   Aby 10:23  |  TelAviv 02/03/08
      48.   hamas wants to end the attacks 10:24  |  massein 02/03/08
      49.   ceasefire 10:25  |  english jew 02/03/08
      50.   Hamas and martyrs 10:25  |  Leah 02/03/08
      51.   IAF strikes Haniyeh`s headquarters. 11:05  |  Akram Zekaria 02/03/08
      52.   zionist Holocaust 11:07  |  MacBeth 02/03/08
      53.   Front page article in the Guardian about Rachel Corrie 11:10  |  Clickfool 02/03/08
      54.   Another example of collective punishment for Palestinians 11:12  |  Clickfool 02/03/08
      55.   HAMAS use civilian facilties to wage war then cry "war crime" 11:29  |  PETER SM 02/03/08
      56.   Cipora: Isrealis in Ashkelon or elsewhere are not defeseless what 11:36  |  Tupac 02/03/08
      57.   Lion 11:36  |  Tim 02/03/08
      58.   IF ISRAEL WANTED, THEY WERE NOT KILLED 11:47  |  indrajaya 02/03/08
      59.   watch out for the tunnels 11:48  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/03/08
      60.   To walid & Clickfool, (1 &33). Style & Content 11:59  |  Altalena 02/03/08
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      62.   civilians 12:07  |  x 02/03/08
      63.   New York Times pictures of Hamas show them fat 12:11  |  George Lechter 02/03/08
      64.   MacBeth was misinformed by 3 witches about Holocaust definition! 12:11  |  Fairplay 02/03/08
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