Israeli military tightens grip on Gaza town

Israeli helicopter gunships, tanks and ground troops tightened their grip today on a northern Gaza town, killing an elderly civilian, two militants and a police officer in Israel’s biggest push in months to stop Palestinian rocket fire.

Amid the clashes, men between the ages of 16 and 40 were ordered over loudspeakers to gather in one of the main squares of Beit Hanoun by Israeli army officials, but few complied.