Israel pulls out of militant stronghold

GAZA - Israeli forces pulled out of the Gaza militant stronghold of Shijaiya yesterday after a six-day raid, Palestinian residents said.

Soldiers killed four gunmen and four civilians in Shijaiya yesterday, bringing to more than 200 the death toll from a 2-month-old offensive launched after a soldier was captured in a cross-border raid. About half the dead are civilians.

The Army said the raid into the neighbourhood, a stronghold of Islamist militants, uncovered a 150m tunnel being dug towards a border crossing. It believed the tunnel would have been used to carry out an attack.

Israel launched the offensive in June to try to recover Corporal Gilad Shalit and to end rocket fire.Also in Gaza, unidentified gunmen killed a local leader of the Popular Resistance Committees militant group. Raed an-Nhal was shot in Beach Refugee Camp near Gaza City.

- REUTERS