Israel kills 7 in Gaza

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) – Israeli aircraft and tanks killed seven
Palestinians in clashes with gunmen across the northern Gaza
Strip on Friday, drawing European Union accusations that the
Jewish state was using excessive force.

In a possible attempt to find a way out of the crisis, an
Israeli cabinet minister suggested Palestinian prisoners might
be released as a “goodwill gesture” if militants first freed a
captured soldier and ended rocket attacks.

The governing Hamas Islamist movement rejected the apparent
overture but said for the first time that Corporal Gilad Shalit
was alive, and demanded negotiations for his release.

The EU accused Israel of “disproportionate use of force,” a
day after 20 Palestinians and one soldier were killed in the
bloodiest day of fighting since 2004.

The army has pushed deep into northern Gaza, taking over
ruined Jewish settlements that Israel abandoned last year, in
an offensive to bring home Shalit and end rocket attacks.

The incursion has piled pressure on the Hamas government,
already reeling from a Western aid embargo. Any lingering hope
peace talks could be revived has been dashed by the bloodshed.

Among Friday’s violence in which medics said militants and
civilians were killed, an air strike in northern Gaza killed
two gunmen. The army said it had targeted armed men.

Witnesses said tank fire killed one man near the northern
town of Beit Lahiya, scene of the worst fighting on Thursday.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered tanks into Gaza
after Hamas militants fired rockets into a major Israeli city
for the first time. The offensive began 10 days ago with the
main goal of freeing Shalit, captured in a raid on June 25.

In a statement, Hamas said it was not asking Israel “for
the impossible” over the 19-year-old tank gunner. Hamas, whose
armed wing took part in Shalit’s abduction, has demanded Israel
free 1,000 prisoners in exchange for his release.

“His treatment is being done well and in a humanitarian way
in accordance with the orders of our religion,” the group said.

“We stress that negotiations are the only way out of this
case and the sole way to preserve the life of the soldier and
secure his safe return to his family.”

DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION?

Diplomatic talks led by Egypt have failed to secure
Shalit’s release, but an Israeli minister indicated a possible
shift in Israel’s refusal to free prisoners in exchange.

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said if Shalit was
freed and rocket fire and other attacks halted then Israel
might be ready to “release prisoners to fulfill a goodwill
gesture.”

A senior Palestinian official said such a scenario was
discussed on Thursday by a member of Olmert’s office and an
aide to moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas lawmaker Mushir al-Masri rejected the idea.

“There is no talk at the moment about the missing soldier,
we are talking about 30 Palestinian martyrs,” he said.

Israeli Interior Minister Roni Bar-On, speaking on Israeli
television, said no prisoners would be freed.

“There will be no negotiations. There will be no release of
prisoners,” Bar-On said, adding he had just spoken to Olmert.

Despite taking over what amounts to a buffer zone inside
Gaza, Israel says there is no plan for long term re-occupation
of territory given up last year after 38 years of military
rule.

In defiance of Israel’s incursion, militants fired at least
five homemade rockets into the Israeli border town of Sderot on
Friday, with one strike wounding three people.

At least 37 Palestinians, the majority of them militants,
have been killed since the Israeli offensive began, according
to Palestinian medics and officials.

“The EU condemns the loss of lives caused by
disproportionate use of force,” a statement by the Finnish EU
presidency said. Israel tends to resist foreign pressure except
from its main ally, the United States.

(Additional reporting by Corinne Heller in Jerusalem and
Wafa Amr in Ramallah)