Region | Palestinian Territories
Fighting breaks out in Gaza
A Palestinian man has been killed after fierce fighting broke out between Israeli soldiers and militants in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya.
- Agencies
- Published: 00:00 July 6, 2006
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Gaza Strip: A Palestinian man has been killed after fierce fighting broke out between Israeli soldiers and militants in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya.
Medics in Gaza have said it was unclear if the victim was a gunmen or a bystander.
The fighting broke out after Israel sent tanks and armoured vehicles into northern Gaza on Thursday, taking over an area which used to be home to three Israeli colonies.
The move to send troops into the dismantled border colonies of Nissanit, Dugit and Elei Sinai came after a second rocket was fired into the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon.
The army's operation is the largest in the coastal area since it withdrew from the Gaza Strip a year ago.
However, Israel denied that it was re-occupying Gaza, with Cabinet minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, saying: "The presence that is there is not meant to reoccupy Gaza because we decided to leave Gaza...the entrances and exits will be on and off."
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Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned on Wednesday that the rocket attack would have "far-reaching consequences."
Artillery and aircraft assisted ground troops as they rolled into northern Gaza in the early hours of Thursday morning, striking bases and groups of militants.
Troops are also searching for a soldier captured last week by Palestinian militants during their brazen attack on the army outpost.
Hamas officials said one militant was killed and another wounded in an airstrike on the beach.
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