Israeli jets strike in Gaza after rocket attack

Israeli jets struck a security compound in the Gaza Strip yesterday in retaliation for what the army said was the Palestinians' first use of a new rocket that could open a deadlier stage in a 16-month-old conflict.

The raid followed increased pressure from right-wing cabinet members on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to topple Palestinian President Yasser Arafat after the army said two Qassam-2 rockets, made by Hamas, slammed into southern Israel on Sunday.

At least 37 people were hurt and a prison housing jailed militants was hit in the second air strike on Gaza City in two days, touching off clashes between police and protesters demanding the detainees be freed for their own protection.

The air strikes sent people running through the streets for the second time in 24 hours.

Arafat said in an interview with the BBC that any attempt by Israel to replace him would fail, and senior Palestinian officials dismissed Israel's accusations of rocket deployment in Gaza as a ploy to attack the Palestinian National Authority.

"All (Jewish) colonies and many cities will come under Qassam fire. Settlers should leave before they face the first strikes of Qassam missiles," Hamas said on its web site.

After yesterday's strike, Palestinian police battled protesters demanding the release of jailed militants who had been held in a jail in the security compound, which was set ablaze.

Police fired into the air to disperse about 200 people who thronged the gates of the compound and threw stones, shouting "Set them free" as police led only some prisoners out of jail.

In the West Bank city of Hebron, 500 Palestinians stormed a jail and released 10 militants.

A Palestinian man shot in the head last week by Israeli forces died of his injuries yesterday, Palestinian officials at Gaza's Al Shifa hospital said.

Three Israeli tanks pushed one km into Palestinian-controlled territory in the southern Gaza Strip and moved into an autonomous village yesterday, Palestinian security sources said.

See also Editorial comment