“Israeli” raid kills four Palestinians

Source: Aljazeera, 19-10-2006
Two Palestinian fighters have died in a second "Israeli" army raid overnight, this time focusing on southern Gaza, Palestinian medical and police sources say.
The two men were killed early on Wednesday morning during clashes following an "Israeli" raid on the southern town of Rafah near Gaza`s border with Egypt.
"Israeli" soldiers killed the pair as they approached army positions in the town, an "Israeli" army spokesman said.
Residents told Reuters news agency that a large "Israeli" force had reached as deep into southern Gaza at the Rafah terminal, a crossing to Egypt that is Gaza`s only access to the outside world without passing through "Israel".
Aljazeera`s correspondent in Gaza said that "Israeli" tanks were deployed at the main gate of the crossing and it would be closed for several days.
"Israeli" forces also occupied Salah Al-Din road, linking the north and south of the coastal territory, the correspondent said.
Palestinian sources said "Israeli" troops had carried out house-to-house searches while bulldozers levelled agricultural land near the border.
West Bank raid
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, an Aljazeera correspondent said that "Israeli" forces, backed by about 40 military vehicles, had raided the town of Qabatya, south of Jenin, surrounding several houses.
"Israeli" soldiers have forced Palestinian men in the town to gather in a mosque and women in a school, the correspondent said.
Earlier in the night, two Palestinian fighters also were killed by "Israeli" forces in the north of the Gaza Strip.
About 250 Palestinians, about half of them civilians, have been killed in "Israeli" operations in Gaza which began in June following the capture of an "Israeli" soldier by Palestinian fighters.
"Israel" says that Palestinian fighters have smuggled large quantities of weapons across the border from Egypt since "Israel's" unilateral withdrawal from Gaza last summer.
Border positions
Also on Wednesday, "Israeli" tanks and infantry took up positions on the border between Egypt and Gaza, killing two Palestinian fighters.
"Israeli" forces surrounded the Rafah border terminal and said they had uncovered five tunnels used for "smuggling arms".
It is the first time since the Gaza pullout last summer that "Israeli" forces have patrolled the Egypt-Gaza border.