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Nine Palestinians killed in Gaza Israeli Gaza City raid kills 14
(about 1 hour later)
At least nine Palestinians, including six armed militants, have died in Israeli raids in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, reports say. At least 14 Palestinians, including at least 10 armed militants, have died in an Israeli raid in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, reports say.
Medical sources and witnesses said the deaths came after Israeli tanks pushed into eastern suburbs of Gaza City.Medical sources and witnesses said the deaths came after Israeli tanks pushed into eastern suburbs of Gaza City.
There were reports of heavy exchanges of fire between soldiers and militants. A South American farm worker was also killed by sniper fire from Gaza.
The Israelis frequently mount raids which they say are aimed at preventing the firing of rockets from Gaza into neighbouring southern Israel. It is one of the deadliest days of violence in Gaza in months. Israel launches frequent raids which it says is aimed at preventing rocket fire.
The dead militants included a son of Mahmoud Zahhar, senior leader of the militant Islamist Hamas group in Gaza, the group said.The dead militants included a son of Mahmoud Zahhar, senior leader of the militant Islamist Hamas group in Gaza, the group said.
In southern Israel, a farm worker with Ecuadorian nationality was killed by a bullet fired from Gaza. The violence comes a day after Israeli and Palestinian Authority negotiators began talks on core issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - borders, Jewish settlements, Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.
Tuesday's violence comes a day after Israeli and Palestinian Authority negotiators began talks on core issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - borders, Jewish settlements, Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.
Hamas, which is excluded from - and rejects - the talks, ousted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement from Gaza by force six months ago.Hamas, which is excluded from - and rejects - the talks, ousted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement from Gaza by force six months ago.
Undercover Hamas response
At least nine other Palestinians, including militants and civilians, were wounded in Tuesday's gun battle, hospital officials said. The raid began when an Israeli undercover army unit targeted a house in the Zeitoun area used to launch rockets at Israel, but the Israelis were spotted by Palestinian gunmen who opened fire.
Apart from Mr Zahhar's son and three other Hamas members, the identities of the dead have not been confirmed.
OBSTACLES TO PEACE JerusalemWaterRefugeesBorders and settlementsHistory of negotiations Mr Zahar's eldest son was killed by Israel in 2004, in a failed attempt to assassinate the Hamas leader.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said the troops shot at a car carrying armed Palestinians during the operation and opened fire at another group of armed men.An Israeli army spokeswoman said the troops shot at a car carrying armed Palestinians during the operation and opened fire at another group of armed men.
The raid began when an undercover army unit moved first into the Zeitoun area of Gaza City, the Reuters news agency reported, quoting Hamas sources. OBSTACLES TO PEACE class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6668603.stm">Jerusalem class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6666495.stm">Water class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6659239.stm">Refugees class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6669545.stm">Borders and settlements class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6666393.stm">History of negotiations
Their target was a house used to launch missiles, Reuters reported, but the Israeli force was spotted by Palestinian gunmen who opened fire.
The 20-year-old Ecuadorian was working in a field near the Gaza border when he was killed by a sniper, the Israeli army said.
More than 100 Palestinians, most of them militants, are reported to have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since Israel and the Palestinian Authority formally relaunched peace talks in late November.More than 100 Palestinians, most of them militants, are reported to have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since Israel and the Palestinian Authority formally relaunched peace talks in late November.
The US-sponsored process was bolstered last week by the first presidential visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank by George W Bush, who predicted a peace treaty within a year.The US-sponsored process was bolstered last week by the first presidential visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank by George W Bush, who predicted a peace treaty within a year.
"This is one of the results of the Bush visit. He encouraged the Israelis to kill our people," said Mr Zahhar as he viewed in a Gaza hospital the body of his son Hussam.
He was accompanied by his one remaining son. Their elder brother was killed in a botched Israeli assassination attempt against Mr Zahhar in 2004.
He vowed Hamas would respond "in the appropriate way".
"We will defend ourselves by all means," he said.
The 20-year-old Ecuadorian was working in a field near the Gaza border when he was killed by a sniper, the Israeli army said.
"The shooting... demonstrates the necessity of the defensive measures the military is carrying out with pinpoint operations," said Israeli military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich.
Mr Abbas condemned Israel's actions as "a massacre, a slaughter" and warned that they would not bring peace.