Israeli troops pull out from West Bank town

At least 70 Israeli armored vehicles and jeeps had pulled out at Tuesday noon, several hours after they stormed the village of Qabatia near the West Bank town of Jenin, Palestinian eyewitnesses said.

Palestinian security sources said that during the ground military operation into the village, Israeli soldiers shot and wounded ten Palestinians and detained 14 others.

"The Israeli army vehicles and bulldozers caused severe destruction to several houses in the village during the operation that last for five hours," said one of the residents in the village.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces withdrew from southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah but reinforced military massing in the north and the east of the Strip, raising fears of a large-scale ground offensive.

Palestinian residents in northern Gaza Strip told local radios that a number of Israeli tanks and bulldozers could be seen behind the border between Israel and the northeast Gaza Strip.

Reconnaissance planes were also flying over the area, where was often used by Palestinian militants to fire rockets into Israel.

Source: Xinhua