Israel pounds Gaza, arrests Palestinian minister

Israel stepped up its campaign against Hamas Islamists yesterday, killing at least five fighters in the Gaza Strip in a wave of air strikes and seizing a Palestinian cabinet minister in the occupied West Bank.

Giant plumes of black smoke rose over what remained of a Gaza City compound used by Hamas's Executive Force. Other air strikes flattened a building used by Hamas's armed wing and a guardhouse outside the home of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

Gaza militants, who have launched more than 220 rockets at Israel since May 15, signalled on Friday they might agree to renew a ceasefire. But after the latest air strikes, a deal appeared increasingly doubtful.

In a separate operation near the West Bank city of Jenin, Israeli troops arrested the Palestinian Minister of State, Wasfi Kabha of Hamas, officials said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose secular Fatah faction joined a fragile unity government led by the Islamist Hamas group two months ago, wants both sides to agree to a ceasefire as a step towards reviving peace talks with Israel.

Hamas has resisted Abbas's call for a renewed truce but is aware the fighting has deepened Palestinian rancour at the government, already crippled by a Western aid embargo over its refusal to recognise Israel and renounce violence.

Israeli officials doubt any truce will last if Hamas can continue smuggling in arms into Gaza from Egypt.

Although they are partners in a two-month-old unity government, fighting between Hamas and Fatah has killed some 50 Palestinians this month and tension remains high.

Palestinian internal security chief Rashid Abu Shbak, a Fatah leader, told Abbas he intended to resign but Abbas aides said his resignation was not accepted.

Abu Shbak has been locked for months in a power struggle with Hamas over control of the security forces.

In yesterday's rapid-fire air strikes, at least five Executive Force members were killed and 30 other people wounded. The blast that struck the Executive Force compound damaged a kindergarten next door, breaking windows and sending children scrambling for cover. No one was hurt.

Militants fired at least six rockets at Israel yesterday, causing no injuries, the army said.