- Title: GAZA: Israeli airforce continues to pound Gaza militants
- Date: 27th May 2007
- Summary: RUBBLE
- Embargoed: 11th June 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA92WR1ZA2CJ9RAWTYMMINZ73DE
- Story Text: Israel's airforce continues to hit Hamas targets in Gaza in a bid to stop launching of rockets into southern Israel. Israel's airforce continued pounding Gaza Strip on Saturday night (May 26) with fresh airstrikes targeting Hamas posts in three different locations across the coastal territory.
The first strike hit a building in one of Gaza City's neighbourhood, the second hit a trailer used by Hamas men in Jabalya refugee camp, and the third targeted the southern town of Rafah.
Witnesses reported that all three strikes caused damage but no casualties. They added that several men were lightly injured and were treated at the local hospitals.
An Israeli army spokesman told Reuters that the army conducted three airstrikes across the coastal strip, all targeting Hamas facilities.
Such violence has surged in recent weeks, dashing hopes for a renewed truce called for by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Israel's latest air strike destroyed a building used by a security force run by the Islamist militant group Hamas.
Israel has killed more than 40 Palestinians, mainly militants, in Gaza since mid-May. Gaza militants have fired 220 rockets since then, including some on Saturday. An Israeli woman died in such an attack earlier this week.
Most of the West has launched an aid embargo against the Palestinian government, demanding Hamas, which won a parliamentary election last year, renounce violence and recognise Israel and past Palestinian peace agreements with it.
Abbas's secular Fatah group is part of a unity coalition with Hamas, but the two have struggled to stop internal fighting, which killed some 50 Palestinians this month.
Earlier, Israeli troops detained a Palestinian cabinet minister in the West Bank, following a similar roundup of officials from the group, which is part of a unity government with President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, earlier this week.
Israel conducted similar raids last year in a bid to put pressure on Hamas after it won the parliamentary election. Hamas had led a suicide bombing campaign against the Jewish state for years, including during a Palestinian uprising in 2000.
Most Palestinian factions, including Hamas, agreed to a ceasefire several months ago following talks with Abbas and Arab officials abroad, which they said was conditional to Israel stopping its own attacks. The truce ended amid new violence.
Abbas wants both sides to agree to a new ceasefire as a step towards reviving peace talks with Israel. Hamas has resisted his call but is aware the fighting has deepened Palestinian rancour at the government.
Israeli officials doubt any truce will last if Hamas can continue smuggling arms into Gaza from Egypt. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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