Hamas gunners wounded four Israeli soldiers in a mortar attack on a base near the Gaza Strip on Sunday, shortly after Israel's prime minister vowed to press ahead with military operations against armed Palestinian groups.
The attack on the base near the Erez border crossing seriously injured one soldier and lightly wounded three others, the army said, according to the AP. Hamas claimed responsibility in a text message sent to reporters.
At the weekly meeting of his Cabinet, Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the army would not ease its military campaign against Palestinian groups. "In light of what appears to be a drop in Qassam rocket fire, I want to make clear: We are not holding negotiations. We are not committing to changing our method of operations," Olmert said.
"Operations are bringing results and will continue as long as they continue to contribute to the preservation of (our) security interests," Olmert noted.
