24 killed as Gaza fighting worsens

Prime Minister Haniyeh has ordered Palestinian forces to shoot on Israeli soldiers. The Security Council is debating a document that calls for the withdrawal of Israel. There is no news as yet of Corporal Shalit.

Gaza (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Twenty-three Palestinians, mostly civilians, and one Israeli soldier have been killed in Israel's latest military incursion in Gaza Strip. The attack, ordered by the Premier, Ehud Olmert, aims to liberate the Israeli corporal, Gilad Shalit, of who there is no news as yet. But Saeed Seyam, the Palestinian Internal Affairs Minister, has called on the Palestinian security forces to "take up arms against the Israelis" and has declared a national state of emergency.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council is debating a draft resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of the troops of the State of Israel from the Strip, evacuated ten months ago, and for the release of Palestinian government officials arrested last week. Washington has said the requests of the international community are "unbalanced".

Beit Lahiya is one of the areas hardest hit by the air offensive: an entire day of carpet bombing yesterday killed 11 Palestinians and seriously injured another three. The northern city of Jenin was also submitted to harsh attack: Israeli shelling killed a 16-year-old girl and injured several people; the exact number is not known.

The Minister for Infrastructure, Benyamin Ben-Eliezer, told Israeli radio: "Our presence does not mean we intend to remain in Gaza Strip. We just want to prevent that firing from there against our cities". Amir Peretz, Defence Minister, said much the same, adding: "No one can consider withdrawal from the Strip as a guarantee that Israel cannot reach territories where it feels it has no other choice than to intervene."

For his part, the Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, of Hamas, has described the offensive as "collective punishment" and has called on the international community to intervene to put a stop to it.

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