GAZA, June 28 (Xinhuanet) -- The Israeli army blew up on Monday night two empty buildings owned by the Palestinian Ministry of Housing near the central Gaza Strip town of Rafah, security sources and witnesses reported.

    The two buildings, each had five stores, had been deserted since the beginning of the Palestinian Intifada (Uprising) almost four years ago after the Israeli army established a military base and lookout posts to observe the nearby crossroad.

    The residents said that the soldiers closed the area, planted dynamites in the buildings and blew it up, adding that the two huge blasts were heard all over the Gaza Strip.

    The armed wings of both Islamic resistance movement Hamas and Fatah movement claimed responsibility on Sunday night for blowing up a tunnel full of explosives under the Israeli military base, killing at least one soldier and wounding six.
    Israeli Apache helicopters fired at least 13 rockets at metal workshops and goldsmiths stores in the Gaza Strip to retaliate the attack, killing four Palestinians. Enditem