Gunfire erupted early Wednesday as Israeli tanks and bulldozers moved into a refugee camp in southern Gaza as a response to continued mortar and rocket fire by Palestinian militants, the military and residents said.
| Yet another case of cause -> effect. Hamas was just crowing about "raining" mortars and rockets on them a day or two ago... |
The military said that during the operation, set to last about two days, some uninhabited structures used as cover by Palestinian gunmen would be torn down. Residents of the Khan Younis camp said there were exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Palestinian gunmen. There were no reports of casualties. The military said more than 15 mortars and rockets have been fired from the camp at nearby Israeli settlements in the past few days. One hit a synagogue and another exploded next to a kindergarten. Both caused considerable damage but no casualties. Israeli soldiers ordered Palestinians to leave the neighborhood of the Khan Younis camp called the "Austrian Project" as the operation began. The military said the residents were being asked to leave for their own safety, and their houses would not be damaged. |