ABOUT 100 masked militants stormed the heavily guarded home of Gaza’s former security chief early yesterday, dragged him out in his pyjamas and killed him in a burst of gunfire — a brazen challenge to the Palestinian Authority days before Israel was to hand over Gaza.

In a first step against militants, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ordered his security forces today to try to prevent attacks against Israel and to investigate a shooting at a Gaza Strip crossing that killed six Israeli civilians last week.