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32 die in Israeli blitzkrieg

Jerusalem March 8. Israel on Friday unleashed a wave of attacks on Palestinian targets in West Bank and Gaza, killing 32 Palestinians, most of them soldiers, shortly after a Palestinian gunman went on the rampage, attacking dormitories and the Bible study hall in a nearby Jewish settlement that left five Israelis dead.

In one of the bloodiest days of violence since the Palestinian uprising began, Israeli troops moved into the village of Khouza in southern Gaza and clashed with Palestinian gunmen while Israeli helicopter gunships and tanks fired indiscriminately.

At least 20 Palestinians, including Major General Ahmed Mefraj, deputy commander of Palestinian public security, were killed and over 55 others injured in the attack. After carrying out house-to-house searches and arresting a number of suspected militants, the Israeli troops withdrew from the village that it described as ``a centre of activity of several terror organisations.''

Several Israeli tanks also rolled into the village of Al Khader, outside the West Bank town of Bethlehem, seizing several Palestinian houses and completely destroying two others. In another attack, five Palestinians, including a U.N. rescue worker in an ambulance, were killed as Israeli gunboats hit a police base in north of Gaza City. Four were reported to have been killed after Israeli helicopters fired missiles at Aida and Deheisheh refugee camps. At least three Palestinians, including a 9-year-old boy, were killed in clashes with Israeli troops inside Tulkarem camp in northern West Bank.

Meanwhile, a report said the Israeli Cabinet would convene to approve two U.S.-backed plans that provide a roadmap for reaching an Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire and resuming peace talks. Raanan Gissin, advisor to the Prime Minister, said today that the Cabinet meeting was scheduled for Sunday. — AP, PTI

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