July 1 (Bloomberg) -- Israeli aircraft struck three targets in the Gaza Strip late yesterday, leaving seven dead and 10 wounded.
In two separate attacks, Israeli forces hit militants belonging to the Islamic Jihad group near Khan Younis and al- Mughazi refugee camp, an army spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said today by telephone. A third raid destroyed what he said was an arms warehouse used by the group al-Mughazi.
The raid on Khan Younis in southern Gaza killed three people and wounded five, a medic at the city's Nasser Hospital said, asking not to be identified. Four more died and five others were injured in the al-Mughazi attacks, said medics at Shiffa Hospital in Gaza City.
Fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants, triggered by the Islamic movement Hamas's decision to call off a cease-fire with Israel, is now in its sixth week. More than 300 unguided Qassam rockets have hit Israel from Gaza, launched by Hamas and other groups, prompting Israeli air and ground raids.
Five of the rockets have hit the Israeli town of Sderot since the night of June 29, injuring one person lightly, the Israel Defense Forces spokesman said.
He said the militants hit near Khan Younis were on their way to stage a suicide attack against Israeli settlements near the Gaza border or at the crossing. Islamic Jihad said in a statement the three dead were ``senior commanders,'' and took responsibility for launching two homemade rockets from Gaza at Sderot.
Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip last month, taking over the security forces of the Palestinian Authority, which it had ruled in a national unity government with the rival Fatah movement. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has since set up an emergency government in the West Bank that is dominated by Fatah.
Israel has backed Abbas's government while trying to isolate Hamas-ruled Gaza. Among other things, it has proposed sending an international force to prevent arms reaching Gaza and to stop rocket attacks. Abbas said yesterday in France that he backed the idea of a force as well as early elections to end the Palestinian division.
The military wing of the Hamas movement said in a statement yesterday it opposed any international force, saying it would be treated ``as an occupation force and will be received with missiles and rockets.''
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