Israeli tanks rumble into Hamas-run Gaza
Güncelleme Tarihi:
ISTANBUL - Israeli tanks forged into the southern Gaza Strip yesterday, drawing mortar fire from Palestinian militants and intensifying violence that has chipped away at a tenuous cease-fire. Also yesterday, Israel re-closed the border crossing with the Hamas-run Palestinian territories despite warnings from world aid groups of looming shortages of food and fuel supplies in the coastal territory.
Israel and Hamas have been trading fire for two weeks after nearly five months of relative quiet. The June 19 truce is due to expire next month.
The tanks, backed by a bulldozer and military jeep, rumbled about a quarter-mile deep into the tiny seaside strip, residents and Gaza security officials told The Associated Press. Residents said they leveled lands along the border east of the city of Rafah. It was the first ground action in a week. The tanks did not respond to the Palestinian fire.
Meanwhile, Israel resealed border crossings with Gaza yesterday citing continued rocket fire at its towns, according to a report by Reuters. Israel had allowed 33 truckloads of supplies into Gaza for the first time in two weeks on Monday, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas he would not permit a humanitarian crisis to develop there.
"The crossings are shut because of ongoing rocket fire," Peter Lerner, a defense spokesman said, referring to several barrages of rockets fired from Gaza that caused no injury. Aid groups said the supplies sent in on Monday were not enough to alleviate shortages.
Photo: AP