Israeli aircraft attack Palestinian foreign ministry

GAZA - Israeli aircraft attacked the Palestinian Foreign Ministry in Gaza City today, causing a fire in the building, witnesses said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in the air strike, part of an offensive Israel launched in the Gaza Strip two weeks ago after militants operating from the territory abducted a soldier in a raid into the Jewish state.

An Israeli military spokeswoman had no comment on the attack, which was carried out at night when the Foreign Ministry was likely to have been empty.

Israel killed at least 23 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip today, including nine members of one family in an air strike that destroyed a house where the army said senior Hamas commanders were meeting.

The death toll, which Palestinian medics said included 14 civilians, was the highest in a single day since Israel launched its offensive on June 28 to force militants to free the soldier and halt cross-border rocket fire.

Israel also went on the offensive on its border with Lebanon, where Hizbollah guerrillas captured two soldiers and killed eight other troops.

- REUTERS