Special report: Israel launches Gaza assault

    GAZA, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Three militants of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) were killed by Israeli troops' gunfire in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, Palestinian medics said. A Palestinian ambulance was sent to the area close to the Kissufim border on the eastern Gaza border with Israel after Israel informed the Palestinian medics that three Palestinians were killed there, according to the medics.

    The bodies were with gunshots in the heads and chests, they added.

    Palestinian security sources said that the killed were Jihad militants who tried to approach the border fence and were shot dead by Israeli border troops.

    Meanwhile, Israel Radio quoted an Israeli army spokesman assaying that Israeli soldiers stationed on the Gaza border opened fire overnight at three Palestinians who attempted to attack an Israeli army post on the border.

    Israeli troops also intruded into the eastern and southern Gaza Strip on early Tuesday as part of a massive offensive in the narrow strip aimed to rescue a soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants and halt Palestinian rocket fire. Enditem