GAZA / ISRAEL: Israeli army targets Palestinian militants and deploys artillery around Gaza as Israeli's continue air strikes against militants.

Record ID: 341575

  • Title: GAZA / ISRAEL: Israeli army targets Palestinian militants and deploys artillery around Gaza as Israeli's continue air strikes against militants.
  • Date: 29th October 2005
  • Summary: WIDE SHOT EXTERIOR OF HOSPITAL
  • Embargoed: 13th November 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAD23NPF7TSMJ2RYBJN049VMUDM
  • Story Text: Israel on Friday (October 28, 2005) enhanced its artillery presence around Gaza Strip as its air forces continued their strikes on Palestinian militants. Israel killed a Palestinian militant in an air strike in Gaza aimed at rocket launchers, after it vowed it would not stop its hunt for gunmen despite a U.S. call to renew contacts with the Palestinians. The missile landed near two cars in north Gaza that carried militants from al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, part of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, and from Islamic Jihad. Palestinian medics said the attack near the town of Beit Hanoun destroyed the vehicles and killed an al-Aqsa militant, while the rest of the men seemed to have escaped unharmed. Outside the occupied strip, the Israeli army deployed a second artillery battery, following the continued firing of rockets on Israel by Palestinian militants, the army said. The battery was deployed near the fence surrounding Gaza Strip, and it followed the deployment of an additional battery outside northern Gaza last month. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has ordered a broad offensive against Islamic Jihad, which killed five Israelis on a suicide bombing in the coastal Israeli city of Hadera on Wednesday (October 26), the first since Israel quit Gaza on September 12. The United States strongly urged the Palestinians to rein in militants after Wednesday's bombing but also appealed to Israel for caution and encouraged a resumption of talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that have been put on hold. Washington appears increasingly concerned about the latest blows to an eight-month-old ceasefire. Palestinian militants have said they would abide by the truce until the end of the year but would respond to any Israeli attacks. Sharon has ruled out new talks with Abbas, who condemned Wednesday's bombing, until he took "serious action" against armed groups. Abbas has opted to try to persuade militants to adhere to a truce he declared with Sharon in February rather than try to disarm them by force, which he fears could spark civil war. Ends.
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