Israel broadens push into Gaza

For the first time since its pull-out from Gaza a year ago, Israeli tanks and infantry took up positions on the Egypt-Gaza border today, killing two Palestinian gunmen and surrounding the Rafah border terminal, as the army broadened its search for arms smuggling tunnels.

Palestinian security officials said Israeli troops and tanks moved into the border town of Rafah before dawn and took over a section of the frontier, including the area around the Rafah border terminal.

Israel has sent tanks and troops in and out of Gaza and stepped up airstrikes against suspected militants and weapons caches since Hamas-linked militants tunnelled under the border and attacked an Israeli army post, killing two soldiers and captured another, Cpl Gilad Shalit, in late June.

This morning, Israeli troops killed two Hamas militants as they approached army positions in Rafah, the army and Palestinians said.

Briefing reporters during a visit to Moscow, prime minister Ehud Olmert said the operation was limited. “We have no intention of staying anywhere in Gaza,” he said.