Israeli forces enter Gaza, detain 2: Witnesses

Gaza, June 24: Israeli forces raided today a Palestinian house in the southern Gaza Strip and detained two sons of a Palestinian militant from the leading Hamas faction, Palestinian witnesses and security sources said.

There was no immediate comment from the army. The militant, Ali Muamar, said the Israeli forces beat him up. Palestinian medics said he had suffered injuries from physical violence.

Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip last year after 38 years of military rule. Israeli troops have in the past month raided small parts of the territory, near the border, to try to stop militants from firing rockets into the Jewish state.

Israel has also killed more than two dozen Palestinians, including militants and civilians, in missile strikes in Gaza.

Top Israeli security officials have hinted they would not rule out ground raids into the territory should rocket attacks by Palestinian militants in Gaza continue.

Reuters