The Israeli army has fired a missile at a group of Palestinian militants who launched mortars at a Jewish settlement in the southern Gaza Strip, the army and Palestinian officials said today.
Palestinian president, Mahmound Abbas
Earlier, Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip shot dead a Hamas fighter near the border with Egypt, drawing a warning from the Palestinian militant group that a three-month-old ceasefire could be at risk.
Israeli military sources said troops had opened fire after gunmen shot automatic weapons and anti-tanks missiles at them. Hamas, the most powerful Islamic faction, said one of its militants was killed while on a night patrol in southern Gaza.
Hamas issued a statement warning Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that "the security you are enjoying these days will not last long if aggression continues against our people."
But Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, ordered the use of force if necessary to ensure that Palestinian militants keep a ceasefire with Israel, the official WAFA news agency said today.
Mr Abbas, making his toughest pledge yet on enforcing the truce, was quoted as telling police in the Gaza Strip yesterday that nobody must be allowed to break an agreement to ensure calm.
"Whoever violates this general consensus ... must be hit by an iron fist," he said. "Whoever wants to sabotage [the truce] with rocket fire or shooting must be stopped by us even if that requires using force."