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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Israel hits Hamas targets in Gaza | Israel hits Hamas targets in Gaza |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Israeli planes have carried out further air attacks on the Gaza Strip, killing three militants and injuring two more. | Israeli planes have carried out further air attacks on the Gaza Strip, killing three militants and injuring two more. |
| Israeli troops also killed two people in the West Bank. In the past 24-hours, 17 Palestinians have been killed. | |
| The raids were the latest after an Israeli died in Sderot, the first death in nine months from a Palestinian rocket attack launched from Gaza. | |
| Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said "terrorists", as he called them, would pay a very heavy price for the attacks. | Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said "terrorists", as he called them, would pay a very heavy price for the attacks. |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that the Palestinian rocket attacks "need to stop". | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that the Palestinian rocket attacks "need to stop". |
| "We are all sorry about the death of the Israeli university student" [in Sderot], she said, after meeting the Israeli prime minister in Tokyo. | "We are all sorry about the death of the Israeli university student" [in Sderot], she said, after meeting the Israeli prime minister in Tokyo. |
| She added: "I am concerned about the humanitarian conditions there and innocent people in Gaza who are being hurt." | She added: "I am concerned about the humanitarian conditions there and innocent people in Gaza who are being hurt." |
| Ms Rice will visit the Middle East next week for several days of talks with Mr Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. | Ms Rice will visit the Middle East next week for several days of talks with Mr Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. |
| 'Mass hysteria' | 'Mass hysteria' |
| Palestinian witnesses said the Interior Ministry building, run by the militant group Hamas, was hit on Wednesday evening, although it was empty at the time. | Palestinian witnesses said the Interior Ministry building, run by the militant group Hamas, was hit on Wednesday evening, although it was empty at the time. |
| There was mass hysteria in the college, people were shouting, screaming, crying Student Orel David | |
| Nearby buildings were damaged in the blast, killing a six-month-old baby and wounding at least six other people, Palestinian medical officials said. | |
| In the West Bank Balata refugee camp, Israeli troops killed two militants. An Israeli army spokeswoman said troops had opened fire after spotting armed men threatening them. | |
| Although the Israeli casualty is first death from Palestinian rocket fire in nine months, four other Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinian militants in the last three months. | |
| In that time, more than 200 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army, most of them militants. | In that time, more than 200 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army, most of them militants. |
| Hamas said it fired at least 20 rockets on Wednesday, including eight at the town of Sderot, a frequent target. | Hamas said it fired at least 20 rockets on Wednesday, including eight at the town of Sderot, a frequent target. |
| Israeli media said one rocket exploded in a car park at Sapir College and a student, 30, was hit in the heart by shrapnel. | Israeli media said one rocket exploded in a car park at Sapir College and a student, 30, was hit in the heart by shrapnel. |
| "I saw the man with his chest gaping open and he was being tended by medics. When another alarm went off there was mass hysteria in the college - people were shouting, screaming, crying," said psychology student Orel David. | "I saw the man with his chest gaping open and he was being tended by medics. When another alarm went off there was mass hysteria in the college - people were shouting, screaming, crying," said psychology student Orel David. |
| A second man at the college received wounds to his legs. | A second man at the college received wounds to his legs. |
| Rice visit | Rice visit |
| On Wednesday, an Israeli air strike killed five militants in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Hamas officials said the dead included a senior engineer who built rockets and a commander who led a rocket squad. | |
| Gaza's rocket threat | Gaza's rocket threat |
| Israel carries out frequent military action in the coastal strip in an effort to curb near-daily rocket and mortar fire against southern Israel. | Israel carries out frequent military action in the coastal strip in an effort to curb near-daily rocket and mortar fire against southern Israel. |
| The latest violence comes days after two senior UN envoys told the Security Council that no progress had been made towards an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement since the launch of US-sponsored peace talks. | |
| The Israeli and Palestinian leaders pledged late last year to conclude a peace deal before US President George W Bush leaves office in January 2009. | The Israeli and Palestinian leaders pledged late last year to conclude a peace deal before US President George W Bush leaves office in January 2009. |