Father killed in front of daughter, 12

A Palestinian gunman broke into an Israeli settlement early today, killing an Israeli man and wounding his 12-year-old daughter in their home, the army said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack on the Avnei Hefetz settlement near the Palestinian town of Tulkarem. Palestinian gunmen have repeatedly targeted isolated settlements, particularly during the Jewish Sabbath when more residents are at home.

The Israeli military said that since the outbreak of fighting in September 2000, 25 settlements have been attacked during the Sabbath and holidays, with 41 Israelis killed and more than 60 hurt.

In today’s attack, the gunman broke into a home and opened fire, slightly injuring a 12-year-old girl, the army said.

When the girl’s father emerged, armed with a pistol, the attacker shot him to death. Troops searching the settlement found the gunman and killed him, the army said.

Also today, the Israeli military arrested 23 wanted Palestinians in a large-scale arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus. Witnesses said more than 70 jeeps drove into the city before dawn, and that soldiers ordered people out of homes during the raid.

In the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian man was killed near the border fence with Israel yesterday evening, the army said.

An army patrol spotted three suspicious figures near the fence, and opened fire, killing one, the military said. Palestinian police confirmed the incident, and said soldiers fired tank shells at the group. A Palestinian wounded in the incident was evacuated by ambulance.

Palestinian police said a second Palestinian was killed by army fire in Gaza late yesterday, but the army said it had no report of a second death.

The violence came after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon revealed the scope of his withdrawal plan, saying Israel will pull out from all of Gaza and evict several hundred Jewish settlers from four small West Bank enclaves by next year.