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Israeli troops leave Gaza
03/03/2008 14:09 - (SA)
Gaza City - Israeli ground troops pulled out of northern Gaza before daybreak on Monday, following the first extended sweep in their offensive against Palestinian rocket salvos that has left more than 100 dead and led the Palestinian president to call off US-sponsored peace talks.
After clashing with militants and making arrests on Sunday, Israeli infantry started withdrawing after midnight, the military said, while overnight air strikes killed five.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said a full-scale invasion was still possible, and Israel might try to bring down the regime of the militant Islamic Hamas.
"We will use force to change the situation," Barak said at a meeting late on Sunday of security commanders, according to a statement from his office.
In the early hours of Monday, Palestinians counted nine separate Israeli air strikes all over Gaza, and five Hamas militants were killed.
The Israeli military said aircrafts targeted weapons storage and manufacturing facilities.
Save lives
Vice Premier Haim Ramon said Israel should consider returning fire at the rocket launchers, even if it means shelling populated areas.
"In the end, this will save lives on both sides," he said, since either Palestinian civilians would remove the rocket squads from their neighbourhoods or flee themselves.
In all, 114 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the fighting erupted last Wednesday, according to militants and medical officials.
Moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas put peace talks with Israel on hold, clouding an upcoming peace mission by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The Hamas rulers of Gaza took steps to reduce the death toll, which reached 54 on Saturday alone.
They ordered children off the streets, kept civilians away from battle zones and told their fighters to use alleys for cover and avoid moving in large groups.
In a symbolic move, Abbas donated blood for Gaza residents at his West Bank office.
"We are following the aggression against our people in Gaza," he told reporters, saying he had appealed to the international community for help.
Abbas has wielded little influence in Gaza since Hamas vanquished his forces during last June's takeover.
Continue operations
The UN Security Council urged Israelis and Palestinians "to immediately cease all acts of violence".
At the weekly meeting of his Cabinet, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected the criticism.
"Nothing will prevent us from continuing operations to protect our citizens," he said. "No one has the moral right to preach to Israel for taking the elementary step of self-defense."
Olmert, commenting on the suspension of talks, said "attacking Hamas strengthens the chance for peace".
Abbas remains firmly in control of the West Bank. But the death toll in Gaza threatens to unleash a backlash against him even there.
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