Israel continues Gaza air offensive

Israeli official: At the mercy of extremists
The army said Khalil was responsible for the deaths of 17 Israelis, including a shooting attack that killed a pregnant woman and her four young daughters as they drove near a Jewish settlement in May 2004.

Although the truce has brought a sharp drop in fighting, Islamic Jihad has carried out a series of attacks since it went into effect, including three suicide bombings in Israel. The group says all of its attacks have been in response to perceived Israeli violations of the truce.

Israel has pushed Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to crack down on militant groups before peace talks can resume.

“As long as extremists have the ability to torpedo the process of reconciliation and to launch attacks, we will be at their mercy,” said Mark Regev, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Abbas has refused to order a crackdown, saying his forces are not strong enough to take on militants and that he fears sparking a civil war. He has tried instead to persuade them to lay down their arms peacefully.

Attacks target Palestinian official
Late Sunday, Gaza gunmen attacked the home of Tawfiq Abu Khoussa, spokesman of the Palestinian Interior Ministry, which oversees the security forces. He was not hurt.

Abu Khoussa said the attack was the third attempt on his life in recent days and hinted that Hamas was behind the shooting.

The group has criticized Abu Khoussa and other Palestinian officials for blaming Hamas for a blast at a Hamas rally last week that killed 20 people in a Gaza refugee camp.

Hamas accused Israel of setting off the explosion and responded by firing nearly 40 rockets into southern Israel, slightly wounding six people and sparking the Israeli offensive.

But Palestinian Authority officials said the blast was caused by the mishandling of explosives. Israel, which routinely claims responsibility for attacks on militants, denied involvement.

MORE FROM MIDEAST & N. AFRICA

Mideast & N. Africa Section Front

In Bethlehem, holiday cheer edges out gloom Reports: Iran bans memorials for cleric Report: Bin Laden daughter hiding in Iran   Yemen says 30 militants killed in raids   Explosions kill Shiite pilgrims in Iraq Reports: Iran protesters ‘savagely attacked’ Report: Hasan asked about killing GIs in '08 Destination of N. Korean arms cache is murky Captain of famed Exodus refugee ship dies at 86 Ex-President Carter offers apology to Jews Mideast & N. Africa Section Front   Add Mideast & N. Africa headlines to your news reader: