Two Palestinian men were killed by Israeli forces today, close to the Jewish settlement of Morag in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian security officials said.
One of the men was identified as Saadi Abu Hasna, 24, a member of the Popular Resistance Committee, an armed group that sprang up at the start of the Palestinian uprising, or intifada, in September 2000.
The second man's name was not immediately known, but he was also thought to a member of the armed group.
The Israeli army handed over the bodies of the two men to Palestinian medical services, the security officials said.
Last night Israel's leader Ariel Sharon told US President George W. Bush he would expedite the nine-day offensive in the West Bank.
The Israeli troops faced resistance from gunmen firing from apartments and homes along narrow streets and alleyways in the cities of Nablus and Jenin. They have taken only parts of the two cities and have not entered the nearby refugee camps, which are strongholds for the militants. One Palestinian fighter said bombs and weapons were being passed out to residents to defend the camps.
Mr Bush repeated his call for Israel to "withdraw without delay" from towns it has occupied since launching its offensive to crush Palestinian militias after a string of suicide attacks. Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday, Mr Bush also demanded the Palestinians call "an immediate and effective cease-fire."
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon spoke with Mr Bush by phone yesterday and told him that Israel will expedite its offensive. In a brief statement, Mr Sharon's office said he told Mr Bush that Israel "is conscious of the American desire to see the operation end quickly."
Mr Sharon's statement, however, did not say when they would withdraw troops in the operation launched March 29. He said Israel is operating in difficult conditions in areas where "there are a great deal of weapons, explosives and armed terrorists." Mr Sharon stressed that Israel is making every effort to avoid civilian casualties and that this caution is making the operation last longer.
Mr Bush is dispatching Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region today, but the mission already faced one potential problem: The Palestinians said they won't talk to Mr Powell unless he meets with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops and Palestinian security forces had a brief but intense exchange of fire last night at Mr Arafat's besieged compound in Ramallah.
Nabil Aburdeneh, an Arafat spokesman in the compound, said Israeli troops made moves to enter Mr Arafat's office, prompting the Palestinian guards in an adjacent building to open fire. The Israelis shot back at the security guards, wounding four, one of them seriously, he said. No one in Mr Arafat's office was hurt, he added.
AFP & AFP