Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Wednesday that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was holding "intensive contacts" with the United States in a bid to stop Israeli attacks against the Gaza Strip.

Erekat told the media that the PNA was intended to "stop the well-organized military operation that Israel carries out in Gaza", adding "this is unprecedented procedure."

The chief negotiator also said "Israel now controls sea, land and atmosphere of the Gaza Strip."

Israeli troops carried out a broad ground operation early Wednesday following the abduction of an Israeli soldier by Palestinian militants on Sunday, Palestinian witnesses said.

An Israeli army spokesman told independent Palestinian news agency (Ramattan) that the army carried out the operation dubbed " Summer Rain" to secure the return of the kidnapped soldier, adding they got information that the soldier was held in southern Gaza Strip.

It is the first major ground offensive by the Israeli army since Israel withdrew troops and settlers from the entire Gaza Strip last summer after 38 years of occupation.

Consequently, Israeli tanks and troops backed by helicopters, penetrated into southern Gaza Strip and took position at Rafah airport, which was closed by Israel in 2001.

Around midnight Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes also destroyed three bridges linking the north and the south of Gaza in a bid to prevent Palestinian militants from moving the abducted Israeli soldier.

The only power plant in the Gaza Strip was also hit by missiles, which led to a blackout in most areas of the coastal strip.

The 19-year-old Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit was snatched by Palestinian militants who mounted a deadly attack on an Israeli army post near the Gaza border on Sunday.

Two other Israeli soldiers were killed and four wounded in the predawn Sunday attack. Two Palestinian militants were also shot dead in the gunbattle with Israeli forces.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has turned down demands by the Palestinian militants to set free Palestinian women and minors jailed by Israel in exchange for information on the abducted soldier.

Source: Xinhua