Eight hurt in Gaza shootings

Three Israeli soldiers and five Palestinians were injured today during a fierce exchange of fire in the Gaza Strip.

It happened after the Israeli army demolished Palestinian buildings it said had been used as a base for attacks.

Palestinian security officials said the troops entered Palestinian-controlled area for the first time since a ceasefire went into effect June 13 and destroyed 10 buildings.

The army spokesman insisted Israel has military control of the territory and the structures were abandoned.

The operation further shook the ceasefire, which had led to a reduction in violence but never fully took hold.

Earlier, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat pledged again to stop Palestinian attacks, but then a suicide bomber struck in Gaza.

A heavy exchange of fire accompanied the Israeli operation in the Rafah refugee camp in the early hours of today.

Hospital doctors said five Palestinians were wounded. Three Israeli soldiers were injured, one seriously, Israeli military officials said.

Using mosque loudspeakers, leaders called people out to defend the camp, and Palestinians opened fire on the Israeli forces. The Israelis withdrew after several hours.

The camp, next to the border with Egypt, has been the source of daily grenade attacks on an Israeli army base nearby, the army said.

‘‘There was an immediate need to defend the soldiers,’’ the army said in a release.

Night-time raids on Palestinian positions and neighbourhoods in Gaza were frequent before the ceasefire, negotiated by CIA director George Tenet.

Palestinian security commander Major General Abdel Razek Majaidie called the Israeli operation a ‘‘dangerous violation of the ceasefire.’’