Israel hits Hamas targets, killing 3 in Gaza

Gaza, May 20: Israel killed three suspected Hamas militants in an air strike in Gaza today as it built up pressure on the ruling Palestinian group to stop firing makeshift rockets into the Jewish state.

''Hamas's persistent offensive activity constitutes a new situation that obliges Israel to provide determined responses that will lead to a reduction in Qassam (rocket) fire,'' Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz said in broadcast remarks.

Israeli-Hamas confrontations, Peretz said ahead of a security cabinet meeting to decide on Israel's next military steps, ''could continue for some time''. But Israeli political sources said a wide-scale ground operation in Gaza was unlikely.

In the Gaza Strip, the latest Egyptian-brokered ceasefire appeared to be holding after nine days of fierce internal fighting between Hamas Islamists and President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah faction.

At least 49 Palestinians have been killed in the factional battles, the most deadly in Gaza since Hamas and Fatah formed a unity government in March.

Israel's bombing campaign against Hamas, which has fired more than 100 rockets from Gaza since Wednesday, has killed at least 21 Palestinians, including, local residents said, some 5 civilians.

Describing the latest Israeli attacks, an Israeli military spokesman said a vehicle belonging to Hamas militants and carrying munitions was struck. Local residents said the three men killed in the strike were most likely Hamas members.

Two more air strikes were aimed at metal workshops, which the military spokesman said were suspected of manufacturing munitions.

Both were destroyed but no casualties were reported.

Israel has moved an undisclosed number of tanks, armoured vehicles and ground forces into areas just inside the Gaza border, raising Palestinian fears of a wider offensive into the territory Israeli settlers and soldiers quit in 2005.

''We are assessing the situation every few hours and will definitely decide how to continue our activities,'' Peretz said.

He declared a ''special home front situation'' in southern Israel that would provide state compensation for residents whose property or livelihood are affected by rocket attacks.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, struggling to stay in office after an official report criticised his handling of last year's Lebanon war, is under domestic pressure to stop the rockets without getting bogged down in another inconclusive conflict.

At the same time, he knows a wide-ranging Israeli military response in Gaza could have a major influence on the course of Fatah's power struggle with Hamas.

Reuters>