At least 24 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks

Israel has killed at least 24 Palestinians this morning as the violence in the Middle East continues to escalate on a daily basis.

At least 16 Palestinians, including the deputy commander of public security in the Gaza Strip, were killed when Israeli forces invaded the village of Hozaa. Major General Ahmed Mefraj died along with his bodyguard when a tank shell and machine gun fire hit his car.

The local security commander was also killed and 35 others were injured during the incursion. Israeli gunboats and helicopters also attacked a Palestinian police base near Gaza City early this morning, killing four people, including a UN aid worker who was travelling in an ambulance with UN markings.

Four Palestinians also died when Israeli soldiers invaded the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Helicopters fired at the Aida refugee camp in the town after Palestinian militants opened fire on a nearby Israeli army outpost.

This morning’s violence comes after a Palestinian militant infiltrated the Atzmona Jewish settlement in the southern Gaza Strip last night and killed four Israelis.

The 19-year-old militant opened fire with an assault rifle and threw grenades at a local high school which combines Jewish studies and military training. 20 others were also injured in the attack, five of them seriously, before soldiers shot and killed the gunman.

The military wing of the Hamas movement claimed responsibility for the operation, which followed the deaths of at least 13 Palestinians in Israeli operations yesterday.

The further escalation of violence today comes despite US President George W Bush’s decision to send his envoy, Anthony Zinni, back to the Middle East to push for a ceasefire and peace talks.