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10/04/2004:

"Sharon vows to escalate offensive"

JERUSALEM Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pledged yesterday to escalate a broad Israeli offensive into northern Gaza, saying troops will remain in the area until Palestinian rocket attacks are halted.

The fighting has dragged the Israeli army deeper into Gaza at a time when Sharon is preparing to withdraw from the area. Israeli officials said the offensive will help clear the way for the pullback, scheduled for next year.

Israel poured 2,000 troops into northern Gaza after a Palestinian rocket attack on Wednesday killed two preschoolers in the Israeli town of Sderot. Since then, 58 Palestinians and three Israelis have been killed.

In new bloodshed, at least seven Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy, were killed yesterday, while another 13-year-old boy died of wounds sustained earlier.

Full Article : timesdispatch.com