Israel Expands Gaza Offensive
Ankit Gupta - All Headline News Staff Writer Gaza, Israel (AHN) - After the Hamas Islamist militants fired rockets into a major Israeli city, Israeli forces have stepped up their offensive attack and seized control of former Jewish settlements in the northern Gaza Strip, according to Reuters. The attack began last week with the goal of securing the release of the captured Israeli soldier. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed to step up the operation after rockets hit Ashkelon seven miles inside Israel. Armed with helicopter gunships, Israeli army tanks entered into the rubble of three Jewish settlements which they had evacuated last summer after 38 years of occupation. One Hamas militant was killed in an air strike in northern Gaza after the troops moved in. Palestinian gunmen took up positions and planted bombs, preparing to confront the Israelis. While the Israeli Prime Minister had decided to carve out a buffer zone to stop the rocket attacks he has no intentions of occupying the strip long term. The increased military action has put the Hamas-led government in Gaza in a rough spot, already facing Israeli threats of reprisals over the abduction of Corporal Gilad Shalit on June 25. Hamas gunmen were among those who seized him. The Israeli army said that troops had begun moving into northern Gaza early Thursday, but gave no further details. A smaller force had been operating in the zone since last week. Meanwhile in |
