Three people were killed and over 25 hurt as Israeli forces launched a series of attacks in the Palestinian Territories today.
A 16-year-old youth was killed and at least 22 other Palestinians were wounded when tanks thrust deep into northern Gaza while in the southern Gaza refugee camp of Rafah, a 20-year-old man was killed by Israeli gunfire.
In Gaza city, an Israeli helicopter fired a missile at alleged Hamas militants trying to plant a bomb in the path of soldiers approaching the Jabalya refugee camp. There were no casualties reported.
In the West Bank city of Nablus, Israeli troops firing towards a crowd of Palestinian stone throwers killed a 29-year-old bystander, witnesses and medics said.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie accused Israel of obstructing his plan to stop spiralling internecine violence in Palestinian areas by reintroducing effective local policing by launching incursions.
"There is no security without [our own] ability to impose security," he told reporters in the West Bank.