Israel extends offensive to Hamas charities

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, September 28, 2005

JERUSALEM – Israel shut down charities with ties to Hamas across the West Bank on Wednesday as it widened a five-day offensive against Palestinian militants, despite their pledges to stop firing rockets at Israel.

Israeli aircraft fired missiles at several Gaza targets Wednesday, knocking out power in Gaza City for most of the night, damaging several buildings and destroying an overpass. Troops also fired live artillery shells into northern Gaza for the first time, hitting an area the army said was used to fire rockets.

A senior army officer said Israel might shell Palestinian towns – after first giving warning – and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Israel was trying to teach the militants it will not tolerate any more attacks from Gaza after its recent pullout from the area.

“It needs to be clear to them that we mean every word we say,” Mofaz said.

The Israeli offensive was triggered by a rocket barrage launched by Gaza militants at Israel, including the border town of Sderot, over the weekend. Since then, militant groups said they would halt attacks and renewed their commitment to a 7-month-old truce, but Israel said it would press ahead with the campaign.

“We will step up our operations and our response until they stop the rocket fire,” Mofaz said. “So long as there is no quiet in Sderot, there will be no quiet in Gaza.”

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas traveled to Cairo to try to enlist Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a key mediator in the conflict, to help stop the crisis from escalating.

Abbas plans to meet with President Bush in Washington Oct. 20, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Wednesday.