"Israel has massed tanks and troops on the border with the Gaza Strip and threatened to invade if Palestinian militants continue their attacks. There was more rocket and mortar fire from the militants today, salvos that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has vowed to do his utmost to stop. NPR's Linda Gradstein has more from Jerusalem.
LINDA GRADSTEIN (NPR, 18.Jul.05) reporting:
After a weekend of violence and increasing Israeli-Palestinian tensions, officials on both sides say they're working to calm the situation and save a crumbling five-month-old cease-fire. Israeli government sources say that despite the massing of Israeli tanks and troops on the border with Gaza, Israel will not launch a large-scale military incursion into Gaza unless more Israeli civilians are killed by Palestinian rocket and mortar fire.
There was a barrage of fire over the weekend and six Israelis were wounded, two seriously yesterday. Today Palestinians fired at least two Qassam rockets at southern Israel and at least five mortar shells at Jewish settlements. There were no casualties or damage."
to return to my home
...a 14-year-old boy, Ragheb al-Abed al-Masri, was killed [Monday, 18.Jul.05] while waiting to cross to Khan Yunus.
According to Dr Ibrahim Mssadar, director of the Shuhada al-Aqsa hospital, the boy was waiting at Abo Holi when he was shot in the back, with the bullet leaving his body through his heart and chest.
Eitan Arusy, a spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Force, said the closures were for security reasons and would continue until further notice.
As for the shooting at Abo Holi, he said Palestinian cars attempted to cross the checkpoint without permission from the soldiers.
"The soldiers fired warning shots into open air, not on the cars. We have no proof of any injuries..."
