Israeli forces bomb Gaza school, arrest 207 in W. Bank

An Israeli F-16 warplane attacked a Hamas-run elementary school in Gaza early Sunday, injuring at least 20 Pakistanis, witnesses and medics said, according to Xinhua news agency.

Shortly before the attack in northern Gaza City, Israeli helicopters fired three missiles at what it claimed to be “military targets in Khan Younis, South of Gaza Strip.

Ambulances rushed to the scene and evacuated the wounded, most of them are women and children.

Shiffa Hospital in Gaza City received 20 wounded, including a 40-day-old infant, Cief of emergency at the hospital said.

Israel has increased its ground forces in the area and set up an artillery unit along Gaza's northern border. The operations are backed by Prime Minster Ariel Sharon's security cabinet after at least 36 rockets hit Israeli territory.

Gaza has witnessed a surge in violence over the past two weeks after Israel's withdrawal, which completed on September 12, ending 38 years of occupation.

207 arrested in West Bank

The Israeli occupation forces arrested Sunday 207 Palestinian fighters in the West Bank, the toughest crackdown in months, Reuters reported.

"Our forces have taken 207 fugitives into custody, most of them from Hamas or Islamic Jihad," an Army spokeswoman said.

Top Hamas officials in the occupied West Bank Hassan Youssuf and Mohammed Ghazal were among those detained on Sunday in th biggest sweep since Israel since Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed a cease-fire in February, relatives said.

The Israeli forces have also resumed assassinating resistance fighters.

They received from the Israeli government a green light to use artillery against the Gaza Strip.

"This operation is not limited in time," Major-General Israel Ziv, chief of military operations, told Israel Radio.

"We have taken the liberty to use all weapons in order to remove this threat (of rocket attacks)."