Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    GAZA, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israeli forces rolled into southeast Gaza Strip on Tuesday and bulldozers started to flatten farmlands, witnesses and security sources said.

    The residents of al-Fukhari neighborhood, to the east of Khan Younis town, said nine tanks and two bulldozers suddenly entered the area and destroyed greenhouses and potato fields.

    They added that the tanks used their machine guns to cover the bulldozers, forcing farmers and the residents to flee westward.

    The incursion came after a few days of relative lull that was paving the way for restoring a shaky ceasefire. A series of Israeli army operations, the ensuing Palestinian rocket-fire and the closure of crossing points rocked the Egyptian-brokered deal between Israel and Hamas, which has been controlling Gaza since June 2007.

    Meanwhile, the military wing of Hamas said it was ready "for the upcoming confrontation" with Israel as the six-month ceasefire expires in December.

    "We are ready to burn the land under the feet of the enemy when it attacks us anytime after the lull is over," said a commander of Ezz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades who only identified himself as Abu Suhaib.