Feb 23, 2009

Israel launches air raid on Gaza: witnesses

GAZA CITY (AFP) — The Israeli army carried out an air raid in the central Gaza Strip on Monday after a military patrol came under fire from militants, witnesses said.

There were no reports of casualties from the raid on the Maghazi refugee camp, which was launched after an Israeli army patrol came under fire along the border of the Hamas-run territory.

An army spokesman said that the incident was sparked when "two armed gunmen were identified planting an explosive device near the security fence."

"And IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) arrived at the scene on the Israeli side of the fence, the Palestinians opened fire at the force and the force pursued the gunmen inside the Gaza Strip.

"They asked for aerial support and the force directed an air strike."

A rocket was also fired from Gaza into southern Israel on Monday, the army said. The little-known Hezbollah Brigades Palestine claimed the firing.

The violence marked the latest violation by both sides of January 18 ceasefires that ended Israel's deadly 22-day war on the Islamist rulers of the tiny coastal strip that killed more than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.

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