Sharon is ready to accept a new cease fire, One Palestinian is killed, 11 wounded, 21 houses demolished

The Israeli daily Ma'ariv said yesterday that the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon is ready to accept cease fire similar to the truce announced by the Palestinian groups which was later abrogated because of the Israeli violations, at a time when one Palestinian was murdered and 11 wounded and 21 houses were demolished during an incursion by the Israeli occupation army in Rafah.

The paper quoted sides close to Sharon as saying that he will not refuse a cease fire, but Israel will not be a side in it and will not sign it "as it is an internal Palestinian matter," indicating that the cease fire would be unilateral and with implied but not official commitment on Israel's side.

The paper said that should this information be true, Sharon who had cancelled the truce practically by firing missiles at Hamas leaderships and declaring a decision to liquidate them ultimately wants now to return back to the previous "quarter."

On the other hand, Palestinian medical and security sources said that one Palestinian was killed and 11 wounded in Rafah by tanks shelling and bullets of the occupation army during an incursion operation in Rafah camp to the south of Gaza during which the Israeli soldiers demolished 21 houses, three of which were destroyed ultimately.

The medical sources said that Muhammad Issa Hamdan ( 16 year old) was killed after he was hit by the shells of an Israeli tank in the head. The sources added that among the wounded are five in critical health conditions.

Palestinian security sources said that the Israeli army incurred in Rafah camp on Tuesday amid intensive fire and tanks shelling under the cover of Israeli helicopters and demolished several houses.

Meantime, officials at Qalqilya hospital said that Israeli soldiers broke into the hospital which was run by UNRWA. The soldiers inspected the hospital in search of one resistance man but found nothing.