Special report: Israel launches Gaza assault

    GAZA, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Saturday denounced Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' call for immediate stop of firing homemade rockets at southern Israeli target.

    In a written statement, the ruling movement also condemned Abbas' call for releasing an Israeli soldier abducted by the three militant groups including Hamas armed wing during a deadly attack on an Israeli army post near Gaza border on June 25. The militant groups hoped to exchange the soldier for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

    "While the occupation forces are committing bloody crimes against our people, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas called on resistance factions to stop launching rockets on the Zionist entity," the statement said.

    Hamas also accused Abbas of "ignoring daily Israeli massacres and trying to show the crisis results from the rockets that the resistance fires."

    The statement defended firing rockets at Israel as the only way for the Palestinians to face and defend themselves before the aggressions and Israeli invasion into the Gaza Strip. Enditem

    Related: Palestinian militant groups claim firing rockets onto Israel

    GAZA, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Three Palestinian militant groups claimed on Saturday that their militants launched two homemade rockets at Israel's southern town of Sderot.

    Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestinian, and the National Resistance Brigades, which is an armed splinter group of the Democratic Front for the liberation of Palestine, claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks in a joint statement.

    "The rocket firing is a response to the continuing Israeli assassinations and massacres against the Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip," said the statement.

    "Israeli Apache helicopters flew over the area where the rockets were fired, but our fighters return unharmed," it added. There was no immediate report of any casualties in the attacks. The rocket firing came as Israeli troops intruded toward Gaza City on early Saturday, killing at least two Palestinians including a policeman.

    Over 30 Palestinians and one Israeli soldier have been killed since the Israeli army launched the massive ground offensive on June 28 in a bid to rescue an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants and thwart Palestinian rocket firing. But Israeli army officials have said that the ongoing offensive might diminish rocket attacks but will not halt them altogether. Enditem

    Abbas urges for end to rocket attacks for Israeli stop of "inhumane invasion"

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas attends a news conference in Gaza City, July 7, 2006. Abbas said during the news conference that he is making efforts to win the release of the Israeli soldier held by Palestinian militants, but Israel should also free thousands of Palestinian prisoners. (Xinhua Photo)

    GAZA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas on Friday urged militants to end their rocket attacks on Israel, adding the international community should also intervene to stop Israeli "inhumane invasion" of the Gaza Strip.

    In a news conference in Gaza City, Abbas told reporters that "the rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip must stop."

    Meanwhile, he said that the world must stop Israeli "aggression and inhumane invasion" so that our efforts can get somewhere, referring to efforts to secure the release of a 19-year-old captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

    Abbas said he is making an all-out effort to win the release of the Israeli soldier held by governing Islamic Resistance Movement(Hamas)- allied Palestinian militants, but Israel should also free thousands of Palestinian prisoners.

    "We are working with Arab parties, particularly Egypt, for the soldier to be returned to his family. The continued Israeli aggression at this time is hindering these efforts," he added.

    The world must know that there are more than 10,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, who are also humans, just like the captive Israeli soldier, said the Palestinian leader, stressing that "it is the duty of Israel and the world to look at them in a humanitarian way, so that they can return to their people."

    Abbas' remarks came hours later after Israeli Public Security Minister Avi Dichter suggested on Friday that Israel might release Palestinian prisoners if the abducted Israeli soldier is freed.

    Speaking to business executives at a Tel Aviv hotel, the minister alluded to the possibility that releasing prisoners remains an option in future affairs as well, saying "the release of prisoners in exchange for an end to the Qassam rocket fire on Israel is an attainable goal."

    Since Thursday predawn, the Israeli army has expanded its "Summer Rains" operation against the Gaza Strip and sent more tanks and armored personnel carriers into former Jewish settlements in northern Gaza Strip.

    An Israeli soldier and about 20 Palestinians including civilians were killed on Thursday, the bloodiest single day in Gaza since Israel withdrew forces and settlers from it last summer after 38 years of occupation.

    Israeli army officials said that the aim of the operation was to free the abducted Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip and prevent Palestinian rocket firing. Enditem

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas (R) attends a news conference in Gaza City, July 7, 2006. Abbas said during the news conference that he is making efforts to win the release of the Israeli soldier held by Palestinian militants, but Israel should also free thousands of Palestinian prisoners. (Xinhua Photo)