(Xinhua) -- A number of Israeli tanks and bulldozers rolled into the eastern part of Rafah town in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, arresting several Palestinians, security sources said. The media office of the Palestinian National Security Forces added in a statement that the bulldozers destroyed farmlands and the Israeli soldiers occupied the roofs of three houses. The statement also said that the soldiers, covered by machine gunfire, used loudspeakers to call on people, aged above 16, to surrender themselves. "The operation is still going on and a number of people were taken inside Israel," the statement continued. Last week, the Israeli army also invaded the area and snatched some 20 Palestinian residents. Israel launched a limited offensive into the Gaza Strip after mid-may when Palestinian militant groups, mainly the ruling Hamas,resumed firing home-made rockets into southern Israel territories.More than 50 people were killed in the operations which began scaling down in late May as Palestinian factions went to Cairo to talk on several issues, including renewing ceasefire with Israel.
The Popular Resistance Committees, which were not invited to Cairo talks, announced on Saturday that its militants have fired four mortar shells on Israeli army bases just outside the Gaza Strip.