JERUSALEM (AFP)--Israel said on Saturday a major incursion into the Gaza Strip was becoming more and more likely after militant mortar fire wounded seven soldiers at a nearby base on Friday, army radio reported.
"There's no doubt we are approaching a huge military operation in the Gaza Strip," Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai told the station in Beersheba.
Friday's mortar attack from the impoverished and densely populated Palestinian territory run by the Islamist Hamas was initially reported to have wounded six soldiers.
"In fact seven soldiers were wounded in this attack," a military spokeswoman told AFP on Saturday. One was reported to be in serious condition, while six more were lightly wounded.
A small militant group from the Gaza Strip, the Popular Resistance Committees, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in retaliation for the deaths of some of its members.
Thousands of Israeli Arabs demonstrated in the northern town of Nazareth on Saturday to protest against the crippling Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Israel has allowed food into the Gaza Strip on only three days since a flare-up of violence on the border on Nov. 4 prompted it to tighten its blockade of the aid-dependent territory.
A truce went into force on June 19 between Israel and Hamas, but since Nov. 4 there has been a spate of cross-border attacks.
Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary: http://www.djnewsplus.com/al?rnd=0JBT6WDJjl8kMJqat75yDA%3D%3D. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 29, 2008 12:01 ET (17:01 GMT)

Publié le 29 novembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones