Israeli tanks exit Gaza after 2-day incursion

Assault leaves 30 Palestinians dead, property damaged

July 29, 2006|By ASHRAF KHALIL | ASHRAF KHALIL,LOS ANGELES TIMES

GAZA CITY -- Israeli tanks pulled out of the Gaza Strip early yesterday morning, ending a two-day incursion that killed 30 Palestinians and left a trail of damaged homes, crushed cars and uprooted trees.

On the eastern edges of Gaza City's Shaaf district, deep trenches of churned earth surrounded by newly pockmarked buildings clearly marked the path taken by an estimated 50 Israeli tanks and armored bulldozers.

"This used to be all olive and fruit trees," said Shaaf resident Yusuf Hamad, pointing to a wide patch of now-barren earth.

The incursion targeted orchards used by militants for launching rockets over the border, the Israeli army said.

Within hours of the tanks'withdrawal, several more Palestinian rockets launched by the military wing of Islamic Jihad landed near the southern Israeli town of Sderot and wounded two children, an Israeli army spokesman said.

Three Palestinians were killed yesterday, including a 13-year-old boy, bringing the total two-day toll to 30 dead and at least 75 wounded, medical sources said.

Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, whose Hamas movement swept to power in January elections, delivered a Friday sermon condemning what he called Israel's "vindictive tendencies." He said the goal of both Israel and the U.S. was to create "a new Middle East where Israel has dominion."

After prayers, Haniyeh addressed a wildly cheering crowd outside the mosque amid the steady thump of Israeli artillery strikes. He said the Israeli attacks only delayed any possible negotiations on the