Tue, 06 Jan 2009 | Presstv.ir
Witnesses say Israeli tanks have entered the city of Khan Yunis, the largest city in southern Gaza, on the 11th day of the offensive.
Israeli tanks, backed by helicopter gunships, rolled into the city on Tuesday just before dawn, AFP quoted witnesses as saying.
Sound of heavy machine guns and cannon fire can be heard in the eastern district of Abassan al-Kabira, the report added.
This is the first time Israeli forces have entered a Hamas strong-hold since the ground invasion began.
The development comes as Palestinian resistance groups, including Hamas, vow to welcome Israeli forces with "fire and iron" every where in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians spent the night under a major blackout, as the Israeli military campaign has left 1.5 million residents of the Strips without power or running water.
The offensive has left the residents of Gaza City trapped inside their houses, as Israeli forces target "anything that moves".
"At this moment, Gaza is pitch black. All you can hear is surveillance planes and F16 jets and helicopters," a Press TV correspondent in Gaza reported early Tuesday.
Due to Gaza City's narrow streets, Israeli tanks have been stationed outside the residential areas of the Palestinian territory's largest city.
They are allowed to shoot anything that moves, a Press TV correspondent in northern Gaza reported early Tuesday. There have been reports of Israelis panning Palestinian homes with sub macine gun fire, traumatizing the residents.
Heavy fighting has also erupted in the Shejaiya district of eastern Gaza City early Tuesday between Palestinian fighters and Israeli forces.Israeli tanks are firing shells into the region, according to the witnesses.
Israeli warplanes bombed an abandoned Hamas building and a charity organization in the center Gaza City.
Meanwhile, "friendly tank fire" has killed three Israeli soldiers and injured 24 others, including a commander, in northern Gaza.
An Israeli army spokesman confirmed the incident which took place on Monday night.
"Three IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers were killed and one critically wounded; an additional three were severely wounded as the result of a tank shell explosion that was fired in error from an IDF tank during an operation" in northern Gaza, the spokesman said.
The soldiers were from the Israeli army's elite Golani Brigade. The brigade commander, Colonel Avi Peled, was also slightly injured in the incident.
"The tank shell hit a structure where the soldiers were located. Twenty additional soldiers were slightly to moderately wounded in the same incident," he added.
Palestinian sources say resistance fighters in Khan Yunis are engaging with invading Israeli troops, preventing them from moving deep inside the city.
Witnesses say Israeli tanks have entered the city of Khan Yunis, the largest city in southern Gaza, on the 11th day of the offensive.
Israeli tanks, backed by helicopter gunships, rolled into the city on Tuesday just before dawn, AFP quoted witnesses as saying.
Sound of heavy machine guns and cannon fire can be heard in the eastern district of Abassan al-Kabira, the report added.
This is the first time Israeli forces have entered a Hamas strong-hold since the ground invasion began.
The development comes as Palestinian resistance groups, including Hamas, vow to welcome Israeli forces with "fire and iron" every where in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians spent the night under a major blackout, as the Israeli military campaign has left 1.5 million residents of the Strips without power or running water.
The offensive has left the residents of Gaza City trapped inside their houses, as Israeli forces target "anything that moves".
"At this moment, Gaza is pitch black. All you can hear is surveillance planes and F16 jets and helicopters," a Press TV correspondent in Gaza reported early Tuesday.
Due to Gaza City's narrow streets, Israeli tanks have been stationed outside the residential areas of the Palestinian territory's largest city.
They are allowed to shoot anything that moves, a Press TV correspondent in northern Gaza reported early Tuesday. There have been reports of Israelis panning Palestinian homes with sub macine gun fire, traumatizing the residents.
Heavy fighting has also erupted in the Shejaiya district of eastern Gaza City early Tuesday between Palestinian fighters and Israeli forces.Israeli tanks are firing shells into the region, according to the witnesses.
Israeli warplanes bombed an abandoned Hamas building and a charity organization in the center Gaza City.
Meanwhile, "friendly tank fire" has killed three Israeli soldiers and injured 24 others, including a commander, in northern Gaza.
An Israeli army spokesman confirmed the incident which took place on Monday night.
"Three IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers were killed and one critically wounded; an additional three were severely wounded as the result of a tank shell explosion that was fired in error from an IDF tank during an operation" in northern Gaza, the spokesman said.
The soldiers were from the Israeli army's elite Golani Brigade. The brigade commander, Colonel Avi Peled, was also slightly injured in the incident.
"The tank shell hit a structure where the soldiers were located. Twenty additional soldiers were slightly to moderately wounded in the same incident," he added.
Palestinian sources say resistance fighters in Khan Yunis are engaging with invading Israeli troops, preventing them from moving deep inside the city.
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