Palestinian killed in Israeli military escalation in Gaza

The Israeli army escalated its military operation in southern Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, killing one Palestinian, medical and security sources said.

They said that a 50-year-old man died from Israeli gunshot as Israeli army backed by tanks and armored personnel carriers opened intensive fire in the east of southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.

In northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli troops invaded the border town of Biet Hanoun while the Israeli tanks taking up positions on hills surrounding the town.

Local residents said that the army sieged the town and prevented access to it by closing the main road leading to the town.

They said that armed clashes erupted between Palestinian militants and the Israeli army.

No casualties were reported immediately.

Beit Hanoun was often used by Palestinian militants as a site to launch home-made rockets into Israel which, in return, vowed to curb rocket attacks by force.

As the Israeli army escalated its military offensive elsewhere Gaza Strip, the operation in southern Gaza's border town of Rafah that began last Wednesday ended after destroying several tunnels linking Gaza to Egypt.

Source: Xinhua