TEL AVIV/RAMALLAH/CAIRO, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Fire was being exchanged between the Israeli army and Palestinian militants on the Gaza Strip border as the Israel Defense Forces(IDF) announced an expanded ground assault into the enclave Friday night, Palestine's Al-Quds Newspaper reported.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a statement "we are confronting an Israeli ground incursion into Beit Hanoun and east of Bureij, and violent clashes are taking place on the ground." Bureij lies in the central part of the Gaza Strip, whereas Beit Hanoun is in the northwest of the Palestinian enclave.
The IDF spokesperson confirmed to Xinhua that "following the activities which were carried out over the last few days, (IDF) ground forces are extending their ground activities this evening."
In Gaza, eyewitnesses told Xinhua that heavy Israeli bombardment has been ongoing, while local media reported Palestinian militants fired barrage of rockets targeting Israeli tanks deployed along the border.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
