Israelis Enter Gaza to Confront Rocket-Firing Attackers

[Englander]

The incursion, first of its kind in the territory since Israel withdrew, kills four Palestinians.

By Laura King, Times Staff Writer
May 31, 2006

JERUSALEM — Israel on Tuesday made its first military incursion deep into the Gaza Strip since withdrawing from the seaside territory last summer, sending special forces backed by a helicopter gunship to ambush a squad of rocket-firing Palestinian militants.

Four Palestinians were killed and about six were wounded in an intense predawn exchange of fire that lasted more than an hour and occurred nearly two miles inside Gaza.

At least three of those killed were members of a cell from the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, the Israeli army and Palestinian medical officials said.

The fourth fatality was a member of the Palestinian security forces, Palestinian security officials said.

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