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Israel hits Hamas targets in Gaza Israel steps up Gaza air strikes
(about 1 hour 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 four Palestinian militants.
Israeli troops also killed two people in the West Bank. In the past 24-hours, 17 Palestinians have been killed. In the West Bank, Israeli troops killed two people in a raid on Balata refugee camp on the outskirts of Nablus.
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. In all, 17 Palestinians have died in Israeli military action in the last two days, including a six-month-old baby.
Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said "terrorists", as he called them, would pay a very heavy price for the attacks. An Israeli student was also killed in escalated Palestinian rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, some of which hit the nearby southern Israeli town of Sderot.
Israeli Prime Minister 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. These events underscore the urgent need for a calming of violence, and must not be allowed to deter the continuation of the political process UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
"We are all sorry about the death of the Israeli university student," 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' UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has separately expressed "deep concerned" at the escalation of violence between Israel and the Palestinians.
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. "These events underscore the urgent need for a calming of violence, and must not be allowed to deter the continuation of the political process," he said in a statement.
There was mass hysteria in the college, people were shouting, screaming, crying Student Orel David 'Steadfast determination'
Nearby buildings were damaged in the blast, killing a six-month-old baby and wounding at least six other people, Palestinian medical officials said. Assassinations and bombardment are not going to weaken the steadfastness and the determination of the Palestinian people Hamas PM Ismail Haniya Palestinian witnesses said the Interior Ministry building, run by the militant group Hamas, was hit on Wednesday evening. The building was empty.
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. Hamas leaders have been in hiding because of the possibility of Israel assassination attempts.
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. Nearby buildings were caught in the blast, killing a baby and wounding at about 30 other people, Palestinian medical officials said.
The other recent Palestinian fatalities have been militants, including five Hamas members killed in an air strike in Khan Younis on Wednesday morning.
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, whose office was also bombed during the night, condemned what he called "continuous crimes" by Israel.
Gaza's rocket threat "The assassinations and the bombardment of civil and governmental buildings are not going to weaken the steadfastness and the determination of the Palestinian people," he said in a statement.
In Balata refugee camp, Israeli troops killed two militants. An Israeli army spokeswoman said troops had opened fire after spotting armed men threatening them.
One of Hamas's rockets exploded in a car park at Sapir College in Sderot late on Wednesday afternoon, killing an Israel civilian who was identified as a 47-year-old father-of-four studying at the college.
Although the Israeli fatality is the 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, since the relaunching of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian leadership of Hamas rival Mr Abbas.
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. An Israeli poll published on Wednesday indicated that nearly two-thirds of Israelis favour direct talks with Hamas to reach a ceasefire and secure the release of an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas in 2006.
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.
A second man at the college received wounds to his legs.
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
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.