Israel continues Gaza strikes

Israel launched air strikes and a ground raid on Gaza today exchanging fire with Palestinian gunmen, killing two militants and a 12-year old boy.

The fighting came after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert threatened retaliation for an attack on a vital Gaza fuel depot in which two Israelis were killed on Wednesday.

Israel confirmed today’s attack, saying it targeted gunmen near the Gaza-Israel border fence.

Israeli troops also crossed into central Gaza and clashed with gunmen in the area. In the fighting, a 12-year old boy was shot in the stomach and killed.

Six other Palestinians were injured, medics said.

The deaths followed a pledge from Mr Olmert to keep hitting Hamas so that it cannot “continue to operate against Israeli civilians as it does.” Hamas is responsible for all attacks from Gaza, he said, “and must bear the consequences.”

He was addressing a meeting of his Kadima Party, a day after Palestinian gunmen attacked the Nahal Oz terminal between Gaza and Israel. The assault killed two civilian workers and forcing the closure of the terminal, a vital lifeline for Gaza.

All the fuel Gaza’s 1.4 million residents need for transportation, cooking and generating electricity is sent from Israel through Nahal Oz. Islamic extremists were accused of trying to provoke another round of violence with Israel, while putting Israel in the position of appearing to cause a humanitarian crisis.

Israel ended fuel shipments into Gaza following the attack, but officials indicated the band would not last past the weekend. An earlier Israeli plan to cut back fuel shipments in response to rocket attacks by Gaza militants was shelved under international pressure.