Saturday, 18 August, 2001, 21:35 GMT 22:35 UK Israel attacks Palestinian post

Israeli forces have launched a missile attack on a Palestinian security post south of the Gaza Strip.

The attack has seriously damaged the post which is just east of the Khan Younis refugee camp and injured three people.

In a separate development, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres has indicated that talks are under way about how to implement a ceasefire.

An eyewitness told the BBC that surface-to-surface missiles were fired at the security post.

The attack follows an Israeli incursion into Khan Younis on Friday night in which a Fatah member was shot dead.

Israeli defence sources said the missile attack was in retaliation for "repeated" mortar attacks on Jewish settlements in Gaza.

Earlier on Saturday, as Israeli troops retaliated for one such attack on a nearby Jewish settlement, a Palestinian baby was injured.

In another incident, a baby was injured by Israeli troops at a checkpoint in the West Bank.

Elsewhere, Israeli public radio reported that a bus came under fire north of Jerusalem. Two Israelis were injured in the incident.

Funeral

Earlier, thousands of Palestinians took to the streets near Khan Younis, amid calls for revenge at the funeral of the Fatah member shot dead by Israeli soldiers.

Palestinian hospital officials said 29-year-old Abdel Rahman Abu Bakra died from a shot in the head.

Ten other Palestinians were injured, three of them seriously, after Israeli tanks, bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers moved about 150m into Palestinian territory near Khan Younis.

The Israeli army said it entered the area and "identified a squad of armed terrorists on their way to carry out an attack".

Mr Abu Bakra was said to be among the men who opened fire on the Israeli soldiers when they entered the refugee camp.

Braced for attack

Israel is braced for further suicide bombings by Palestinian militants and has tightened its grip around three cities in the West Bank - Bethlehem, Ramallah and Qalqilya.

Israeli military incursions in the Gaza strip have taken place on numerous occasions in recent months - usually lasting only a few hours.

Earlier this week, there was also an unprecedented incursion into the centre of the West Bank town of Jenin, described by Israel's army chief Shaul Mofaz as a "city of bombers".

Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat complained on Saturday that Israel was sending conflicting messages.

"We hear [Israeli Foreign Minister] Shimon Peres speaking of a dialogue and we welcome that and then we see tanks in Khan Younis in the night and one dead. We cannot continue with this double language," Mr Erekat said.

Palestinians have launched a series of suicide bombings against Israeli targets in the past month, including a devastating bomb which killed 15 people at a Jerusalem restaurant nine days ago.

Possible meeting

Speaking on Israeli television, Mr Peres indicated that Israeli and Palestinian representatives are in talks about how to implement a ceasefire.

Mr Peres said he expected to meet the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, but he did not say when such a meeting might take place.

An Israeli official confirmed to the Reuters new agency that Mr Arafat had passed a message back to Mr Peres through a foreign envoy that he was ready to meet the foreign minister at any time.

-- Anonymous, August 18, 2001