The fighting followed a string of recent Palestinian rocket attacks on southern Israel that have ratcheted up tensions along the Israel-Gaza border. It also highlighted some of the challenges the US faces as it struggles to get Israeli-Palestinian peace talks back on track.
Israel’s prime minister dug in his heels on one of the issues in contention yesterday, insisting in defiance of US pressure that the Jewish state would continue building in contested East Jerusalem. Benjamin Netanyahu’s uncompromising adherence to longstanding Israeli policy signaled that a grave rift with the US remained wide after his White House visit this week — with stalled Mideast peace talks caught in the middle.
“The prime minister’s position is that there is no change in Israeli policy on Jerusalem,’’ his office said in a statement.
Israel’s military said its troops crossed into Gaza after they spotted militants planting explosives along the security fence on the border. A gun battle broke out, leaving two soldiers and two militants dead, the military said.
The soldiers were the first to die in clashes with Gaza militants since Jan. 27, 2009, nine days after Israel’s military offensive ended, the military said.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel would respond if militants escalated their attacks. “We aren’t interested in returning the area to days gone by, but if we have to, we will take action,’’ Barak told Channel 2 TV.
Hamas official Ismail Radwan told Associated Press Television News that the deaths of the soldiers were a “gift’’ from Hamas to Jerusalem and to Hamas operative Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, who is widely believed to have been slain by Israeli agents in a hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in January.
Soldiers also fought another group of militants planting explosives, wounding two of them, the military said.
Farther south in Gaza, Israeli forces backed by tanks and helicopter gunships fired into a sparsely populated border area near the city of Khan Younis, Hamas security officials said. Militants responded with mortar fire.
Military spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Avital Leibovich described the military action in the area as a routine defensive operation meant to protect Israel from militants who attack it with rockets and explosives.
Gaza medical officials reported that one civilian was killed and seven were wounded in the fighting. Militants reported one wounded and one missing.
