Israeli ground troops closed in on downtown Gaza City on Tuesday, battling Palestinian militants in the streets of a densely populated neighborhood, destroying dozens of homes and sending terrified residents running for cover as gunfire and explosions echoed in the distance. Israel's push into Tel Hawwa neighborhood was the farthest it has moved into Gaza City during its 18-day offensive against Hamas militants, and brought Israel's ground forces within a mile (1.5 kilometers) of the crowded city center. Palestinian hospital officials say 925 Palestinians have been killed, half of them civilians. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the military operation would continue in order to stop rocket fire and arms smuggling into Gaza. Palestinian witnesses said the Israeli forces moved overnight about 300 meters into Tel Hawwa, a neighborhood of high-rise buildings on the southeastern edge of Gaza City. Palestinian medical officials reported at least 21 people killed in fighting throughout Gaza, though the Israeli army suggested the number could be higher. “Thank God we survived this time and got out alive from here. But we don't know how long we'll be safe in my brother's home,” said Khader Mussa. Sounds of the battle could be heard clearly around the city of 400,000 as the Israeli forces, backed by artillery and attack helicopters, moved into neighborhoods east and south of Gaza City. The Israeli military said it carried out some 60 air-strikes overnight, hitting groups of Hamas militants holed up in a hotel, a house and a mosque. Fifteen squads of gunmen, rocket launching sites and 15 smuggling tunnels along the Egyptian border were also hit The army said it had killed or wounded about 30 militants, and that three soldiers were wounded in overnight fighting. On Tuesday, at least one gunman opened fire at an Israeli army patrol along the desert border between Israel and Jordan, the military said. There were no casualties, and Jordan said the claim was “baseless.” There was a similar shooting incident on the Israel-Syria border on Sunday, and last week militants in Lebanon fired rockets into an Israeli town in an apparent attempt to draw Israel into a second front. An official, at the Cairo truce talks, called for Hamas to sign a ceasefire deal “now” in the hopes of announcing a ceasefire, before the end of the week.”
