Two Palestinians killed in Israeli raid on refugee camp

ISRAELI forces killed two Palestinians and demolished homes in a tank and helicopter gunship raid in the Gaza Strip yesterday which the army said was aimed at curbing attacks on troops and Jewish settlements.

The army carried out the operation in and around the town and refugee camp at Khan Younis hours before ministers in Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s new hawkish cabinet, sworn in last week, took up their posts.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, replacing Benjamin Netanyahu, now finance minister, pledged “to take advantage of every opportunity for peace with the Palestinians”.