IDF moves 4 km into southern Gaza; Peretz: We won't reoccupy

Israel Defense Forces ground troops continued operating in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, pushing four kilometers into Palestinian Authority territory and uncovering five weapons-smuggling tunnels between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

The IDF intends to demolish the tunnels.

The army is pushing further into southern Gaza Strip along the Philadelphi Route for the first time since since the disengagement over a year ago. IDF sources said that the army has plans to expand the operation.

Palestinians said troops killed four militants in separate incidents in Gaza on Wednesday. IDF sources confirmed the deaths of two militants in southern Gaza.

Defense Minister Amir Peretz said the IDF has no intention of reoccupying the Gaza Strip.

"I hear people trying to create the expectation of a widescale military operation," Peretz told the Knesset plenum. "I am announcing unequivocally that we have no intention of reoccupying Gaza."

Peretz added it is the government's duty to defend Israel's citizens, and no on has the right to compromise on the security of Israeli civilians.

"From my point of view the security of the State of Israel means stopping [militant groups] from strenghthening themselves and the attempt to turn the Gaza Strip into southern Lebanon," Peretz added.

"We have no intention of waiting until hundreds of thousands of anti-tank are smuggled in, should the digging of tunnels continue," said Peretz. "We will not look the other way until the roads of [weapons] smuggling through tunnels turn into freeways."

Hamas: Mastermind of Gilad Shalit's abduction killed by IDFOne of the masterminds behind the abduction of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit was among four militants killed by IDF troops in the Gaza Strip on Wedmesday, Hamas sources told the Palestinian news agency Ramatan.

Palestinian witnesses said troops killed at least four militants in separate incidents in the Gaza Strip before dawn Wednesday. IDF sources confirmed the deaths of two militants in southern Gaza.

An IDF spokesman confirmed that troops killed two men as they approached army positions in Rafah, on Gaza's border with Egypt, an IDF spokesman said.

In a separate operation near the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, Palestinians reported two more casualties in clashes with IDF. The IDF said it had no knowledge of Palestinian casualties in that area.

Palestinian security officials said IDF infantry and tanks moved into the southern Gaza town of Rafah before dawn Wednesday, taking over a swath of the Gaza-Egypt border, including the Rafah border terminal. Troops carried out house-to-house searches and bulldozers levelled agricultural land near the border, the officials said.

Five Palestinians were killed by IDF troops and Border Policemen in a series of separate incidents in the West Bank on Tuesday.

The operation along the Philadelphi Route took place approximately 1.5 kilometers inside Palestinian territory. Infantry forces from the Givati Brigade entered the area near the Rafah border crossing and began searches for tunnels with the help of specialists from the Bedouin Scout Battalion. The raid was initiated on the basis of Shin Bet intelligence on the presence of tunnels in the area.

Two tunnels were discovered and one of them was destroyed in an explosion carried out by military engineers.

In recent months, 15 tunnels were discovered and destroyed in the Gaza Strip. A number of these tunnels were used for smuggling from Egypt, but others were meant to serve Palestinian militants in carrying out raids inside Israel.

IDF sources said there are plans to broaden the operation in Philadelphi in order to locate more tunnels. The commander of the operation is Colonel Shlomi Dahan, head of the southern regional brigade along the border with the Gaza Strip.

Security sources said there are serious concerns at the growing smuggling activities between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, through use of tunnels.

Earlier this week, an assessment by security sources on the weapons smuggled into the Gaza Strip was published in Haaretz. According to these sources, more than 20 tons of explosives have been brought into the Gaza Strip as well as approximately 30 advanced Russian-made anti-tank missiles. Hamas is also trying to upgrade the radius of its homemade Qassam rockets, hoping to be able to hit targets 10 to 15 kilometers away.

However, great emphasis is placed on storing the missiles, so that they can remain operational even after significant periods of time have elapsed.

	IDF soldiers standing on top of a tank before moving into northern Gaza Strip near Kibbutz Mefalsim on Tuesday. (Reuters)