Xinhua - English

Special Report: Israel launches Gaza assault

GAZA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian militants on Monday gave Israel 24 hours to start releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, as Israeli army resumed its ground operation in Gaza on Monday night.

Early Monday morning, Hamas' military wing, one of the three groups holding Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, issued a statement giving Israel until 6 a.m. local time Tuesday to "start" releasing the Palestinian prisoners.

If Israel does not comply, the Hamas military wing will "consider the soldier's case to be close," and "then the enemy must bear all the consequences of the future results," the statement said.

But Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rejected any negotiations with the militants and Israeli forces continued its Gaza offensive, which was launched after Shalit was captured by militants in an attack against Israeli army position southeast of Gaza-Israel border on June 25.

The kidnappers said they would only free the Israeli soldier if Israel releases some 1,400 prisoners in Israeli jails. Israel has so far rejected a prisoner swap, insisting on the unconditional release of Shalit.

On Monday night, Palestinian eyewitnesses and security sources said Israeli army resumed its ground operation in Gaza as dozens of army tanks, Armored Personnel Carriers (APC), vehicles and bulldozers raided the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun.

Eyewitnesses said that they saw from the top roofs of their homes in the town columns of tanks turning their front lights in the middle of darkness and moving to reoccupy the town with 30,000 populations.

Security officials asserted that the Israeli army resumed its "Summer Rains" ground military offensive into the Gaza Strip, which was postponed on Friday night to give diplomatic efforts another chance to free Shalit.

Shortly afterwards, one Palestinian was killed and two were injured by the fragments of a rocket fired by an Israeli army reconnaissance drone also in the town of Beit Hanoun.