Israel maintains Gaza offensive

ISRAEL was pushing on with its deadly offensive in Gaza despite reservations of army chiefs.

Senior officers were reported to have told Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that Operation Days of Penitence, launched 13 days ago, had now met its main objective and managed to halt rocket attacks on southern Israel.

But Mr Sharon, keen to deliver a decisive blow to Gaza-based militant factions before next year’s planned pull-out, told top brass that they must push on with the operation, according to Israeli public radio and the Haaretz newspaper.

He also told his fractious parliament yesterday that he will bring his Gaza withdrawal plan to the Knesset for debate on October 25 and will seek approval for compensation for evacuated settlers two weeks later.

Much of the Gaza operation has been centred around the Jabaliya refugee camp in the north of the territory. But Haaretz cited senior officers as saying troops were being exposed to an unnecessarily high risk by remaining in the densely-populated camp and that rocket launchers had also been moved from Jabaliya.

A total of 111 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Days of Penitence began on September 28. Mr Sharon is expected to be supported in his Gaza plan by the Labour Party.