Gaza City: Israeli forces killed six Palestinians yesterday after tanks moved into the Mughazi refugee camp in central Gaza under cover of machine gun fire, the latest incursion in Israel's three-week military push in the seaside territory.
In a separate army operation in the West Bank city of Nablus, at least three Palestinians were killed when the army surrounded a prison where wanted militants were apparently hiding, Palestinian officials said.
In Mughazi, residents said 30 Israeli armoured vehicles were in the camp by sunrise.
Soldiers took over several rooftops as bulldozers levelled farmland. The Israeli military confirmed that an operation was in progress.
Palestinians said five militants were killed and five wounded in clashes.
In two Israeli airstrikes after sunrise, one militant was killed and at least 13 more Palestinians were wounded, two critically, hospital officials said. Five Israeli soldiers were injured, two seriously, the military said.
Also, 14 people, including children, were wounded when tank shells hit two houses in the camp, hospital officials said. The Israeli army spokesman denied that any tank shells were fired in the area.
A total of 52 people were wounded in the incursion, the hospital officials said.
The camp, with 22,000 residents, is near the Gaza-Israel fence and across from the Palestinian town of Deir Al Balah. Israeli forces operated in the region late last week before withdrawing.
Israeli troops have also swept through southern Gaza and carried out two invasions of northern Gaza, trying to stop militants from firing rockets at Israel.
In Nablus, three Palestinians were killed when Israeli troops surrounded Palestinian security headquarters, including a prison, where wanted militants were hiding, said the office of governor Said Abu Ali.
The Israeli army said the three men were killed in an exchange of fire and belonged to a cell that was activated by the Lebanon-based Hezbollah fighters and was planning attacks on Israel.
Two journalists, including Wael Tanous, a correspondent for the Arab Satellite station Al Jazeera, were injured in the clashes. Tanous, was hit in the left leg with a rubber bullet. Another, Faten Ilwan, was hit in the waist and left hand with rubber bullets.
Since the start of the current round of mideast fighting, Al Jazeera has accused Israel of targeting its crews, impeding their ability to cover the conflict.
The forces raided Nablus before dawn, surrounding the compound and demanding that those inside surrender, witnesses said. Later, armoured bulldozers began demolishing buildings in an effort to get the militants inside to surrender, the witnesses said.
Seven men wanted by Israel were arrested and at least 150 Palestinian policemen were detained in the operation, Abu Ali's office said. The Israeli army would not say how many Palestinians have been arrested.
"We have a forgotten war in Gaza and the West Bank," said Palestinian lawmaker Saeb Erekat. "The presidential compound in Nablus was destroyed. We urge the international community to offer direct intervention to stop this Israeli military escalation."
The move into Mughazi - that extended about one kilometre, or just more than half a mile, into the Gaza Strip - was preceded by several hours of tank movements on the Israeli side, as well as exchanges of fire between soldiers and Palestinian gunmen.
