As Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday, Israeli tanks thrust into southeastern Gaza Strip, sparking clashes with Palestinian militants and residents said.
The incursion started before noon, and witnesses said Israeli troops entered Abbassan town in the east of Khan Younis city in southern Gaza Strip. Palestinian militants went into the area to fight intruding Israeli forces.
Residents reported that sporadic exchange of fire was taking place every now and then. Yet there was no report of casualties but Israeli bulldozers which accompanied the tanks destroyed a number of greenhouses and leveled the fields.
Earlier, not far from the scene, a group of Hamas fighters launched several mortar shells into Israel from eastern borders of Gaza Strip and escaped Israel's retaliation attacks.
In a press statement, Ezz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades said its fighters fired 14 mortars at Israeli army vehicles before Israeli could launch missiles against them.
Hamas said the attacks took place near Kissufim commercial crossing point to the east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip. The crossing, like all other terminals, is closed as part of the Israeli siege on Gaza since June.
Meanwhile, a home-made rocket was fired at southern Israel's port city of Ashkelon before noon. The military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement claimed responsibility for the shelling.
In addition, in northern Gaza Strip, near the border with Israel, Palestinian militants targeted an Israeli army jeep which was then patrolling along the security fence.
Israel confirmed the attack but said it caused no casualties.
Source: Xinhua
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