Two Palestinians were killed early Sunday and eight others injured when Israeli armoured vehicles and soldiers backed by two combat helicopters stormed the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, Palestinian security sources said.
One of the dead was identified as Mahmud Saleh Al Wazani, 32. The Israeli troops withdrew after some three hours, Palestinian and Israeli sources said, according to AFP.
Residents reported machine-gun fire and firing from helicopters, while the sources added that at least 25 tanks and troop transport vehicles had fanned out across the area, backed up by the helicopter gun ships.
The Israeli army said there had been exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Palestinians.
The Israeli troops also blew up three houses, including the homes of two members of Hamas movement who had died during an anti-Israeli attacks.
The third house belonged to a wanted member of Islamic Jihad, accused of being behind a suicide attack in Tel Aviv in 1996, Israeli military sources said. Following the Israeli withdrawal, Palestinians said they discovered the body of Ashur Dab under the rubble of one of the collapsed houses.
On Saturday, the Israeli army nabbed eight Palestinians in the West Bank, including two activists from the Islamic Jihad, a military spokesman said. (Albawaba.com)
