Region | Palestinian Territories
Israel takes over settlements
Israeli forces take over three abandoned Jewish settlements in northern Gaza and kill at least 17 people in clashes with Palestinian militants in an offensive that officials say is to free a captured soldier.
- Agencies
- Published: 00:00 July 6, 2006
Beit Lahiya: Israeli forces on Thursday took over three abandoned Jewish settlements in northern Gaza and killed at least 17 people in clashes with Palestinian militants.
The move marked an expansion of Israel's largest operation in Gaza since Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip nearly a year ago.
Officials decided to step up the offensive following the capture of an Israeli soldier last week and the firing of militant rockets into the Israeli city of Ashkelon.
A senior government official said Israeli troops would enter the densely populated towns of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, but that incursions would be temporary.
"We are doing the utmost effort ... to avoid civilian casualties," said Israeli Brig. Gen. Ido Nehushtan.
"Really there is no other way of operating against terrorists who are operating inside their own civilian populations."
Israeli leaders said their aim is to stop the rocket fire and bring back the captured soldier, Corporal Gilad Shalit.
Shalit's captors have demanded that Israel release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for information about the soldier, but Israel has refused.
Palestinian Prime Minister Esmail Haniya on Thursday called on Arab and Islamic countries as well as international groups to protect the Palestinian people.
"Solving issues can't be through military escalation or expanding their scope, but through stopping the aggression, and respecting the will of the Palestinian people and answering to their nationalist just demands," he said.
More from Palestinian Territories
More from Region
News Editor's choice
-
Ukraine leaders fight over Russian language
Violence erupts in Ukraine parliament over a bill to allow use of Russian language in courts, hospitals
-
CBSE: 100% success in many UAE schools
6,000 students from 53 schools meet grade expectations in examinations
-
'I can’t believe he is not going to come back'
Seventeen-year-old boy went missing in Dubai during a visit from Pakistan
