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Palestinians: Gaza sweep kills 12Israeli says tanks and helicopters withdrawing
From Kelly Wallace and Caroline McDonald
GAZA CITY (CNN) -- The Israeli army said Sunday it had withdrawn its forces from a Gaza City neighborhood after a major anti-terror sweep that sources said left at least 12 Palestinians dead. At least 65 Palestinians were also wounded, six of them critically, the Palestinian sources added. Parts of the neighborhood were extensively damaged after 20 Israeli tanks moved into the southeastern portion of Gaza City late Saturday, Palestinian security sources said. Witnesses reported substantial gunfire before the tanks began to pull out later in the evening. Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told The Jerusalem Post the Israeli forces blew up 40 Palestinian weapons workshops during the operation. Palestinians say these workshops are only metal factories. Palestinian sources said Israeli forces also destroyed three houses belonging to members of the radical Islamic group Hamas. Palestinian spokesman Saeb Erakat, in Ramallah, said more than 100 armored vehicles were in the city. Also, Palestinian sources said two Israeli Apache helicopters were seen over Beit Hanoun, a village north of Gaza City sealed off Friday by Israeli tanks and troops after Palestinians fired rockets at Israel. (Full story) Israeli marines also fired three shells at Al Waha Casino, near Gaza, Palestinian sources said. "There is an activity in the area," said an Israeli military source, declining to provide details. Palestinians fired anti-tank missiles and activated between five and eight explosive devices aimed at Israeli forces, an Israeli military source said. Asked about the reason for the Israeli operation, a military source said Israel would take actions "in response to the major Palestinian terror activity which fires Qassam rockets and mortar shells against Israeli citizens." An Israeli government official said the operation was purely a "defensive move" after Palestinians fired rockets Friday against Israel, and launched mortar shells Saturday at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, according to Israeli military sources. An Israeli military source said there was no damage or casualties from Saturday's mortar shell attack.
"This is the only way we can deal with it," said the official, who did not want to be identified. "We have to be proactive." Friday's Palestinian rocket attack followed an overnight raid by Israeli Apache helicopter gunships, which fired six rockets at Palestinian workshops in Gaza -- one of them landing on a church. The Israeli operations came days before elections scheduled for Tuesday, when Israelis will select a new parliament and prime minister. "It is obvious that Prime Minister [Ariel] Sharon wants to end his election campaign with more Palestinian blood and destruction," Erakat said. "He's turning the Gaza strip into a pile of rubble in a deliberate attempt to destroy the Palestinian infrastructure and the Palestinian Authority." Erakat called on the international community to put pressure on the Israelis to halt the attacks. The Israeli government official called Erakat's comments "total and complete rubbish." The official said the Israeli operations have been going on for months, before the election campaign, and that the operation had nothing to do with the campaign. Erakat and the other Palestinian leaders have "abdicated all responsibility," the official said.
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