Region | Lebanon
Israel strikes militant targets
Israel continued its campaign, targeting a car carrying Hamas militants and cache of weapons and destroying two arms factories, whilst rival Palestinian factions laid down their weapons to observe an uneasy truce.
- Agencies
- Published: 00:00 May 20, 2007
- Image Credit: AP
- Palestinian security force officers loyal to the Fatah Movement begin to depart after the ceasefire is called.
Israel continued its campaign, targeting a car carrying Hamas militants and cache of weapons and destroying two arms factories, whilst rival Palestinian factions laid down their weapons to observe an uneasy truce.
About 30 people abducted in tit-for-tat kidnappings since the bloodshed erupted a week ago were released overnight, security sources said.
It marked the fifth truce in a week, but the only one that has actually been implemented on the ground to end violence that threatened the collapse of the unity government and drove Gaza to the brink of civil war.
Three people including at least one Hamas militant died in the air strike on the car bringing to 27 the number of Palestinians killed since Israeli began its campaign against Gaza rocket squads.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned that Israel was ready to step up its attacks if rocket fire against Israeli border communities did not cease.
"If the diplomatic and military efforts we have taken do not bring calm, will have to escalate our response," Olmert said at the start of the meeting.
Israel has carried out 21 airstrikes against Gaza since Tuesday, the army said. During this time, more than 120 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel, including three that landed early Sunday, the army said. One of the three hit an empty home.
The air attacks, backed by tank fire, have driven Hamas fighters out of their bases, prompting the militant group to accuse Israel and Fatah of colluding against it.
Clashes between Hamas and Fatah have killed 53 Palestinians over the past week. Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas' decision to station thousands of loyalist security forces on the streets of lawless Gaza City without consulting Hamas touched off the violence.
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