Two Palestinians killed in Gaza; General Command claims responsibility for Bethlehem attack

Two Palestinians were killed and a third was wounded when the Israeli forces opened fire at them under the pretext they had tried to enter Doghit settlement to the north of Gaza on Tuesday evening.

An Israeli military spokesman claimed that the three Palestinians were carrying bombs and knives when they were intercepted by the Israeli soldiers near the wall of the settlement and opened fire at them.

The three Palestinians were killed, just hours after killing one Palestinian child and wounding other 10 by the bullets of the Israeli soldiers in Qalqilya in the West Bank.

In Bethlehem to the south of the West Bank, the Israeli occupation forces tightened their fist on the city and stormed into it by tanks for the first time since months after a Palestinian sniper killed on Tuesday evening an Israeli army officer near the church of Nativity.

An Israeli military spokesman said that the killed army officer was a Captain in the Israeli armored vehicles force.

The Palestinian self-rule minister Saeb Oreikat said that tightening the siege on the Palestinian cities would escalate the catastrophe in the Palestinian territories.

On the other hand, sources at the Israeli government said yesterday that the security meeting which was due between the Palestinian minister of the interior Hani al-Hassan with Dove Vicevlas, director of Sharon's office was postponed for several days. According to the Israeli TV, the meeting will deal with the ceasefire.