The Israeli army raided security positions in the West Bank city of Nablus and the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis overnight, an army statement said today.
Helicopters fired at least two rockets on the building of the Nablus governor, while a special unit destroyed a building was used by Palestinians to fire on soldiers and settlers near Khan Yunis, the statement said.
More than 400 Palestinians, including some 60 members of the security services, were rounded up by the Israeli army in the northern West Bank refugee camp of Tulkarem over the past 24 hours and taken to Israel for interrogation, military sources added.
A Palestinian injured by Israeli fire in Tulkarem on Friday died of his wounds today, Palestinians hospital sources said.
His death brings to eight the number of Palestinians killed during Israel's sweep for suspected militants in the Tulkarem area. One Israeli soldier was killed in the operation.
The Israeli army occupied Tulkarem and the two neighbouring refugee camps on Thursday.
Yesterday 46 people died in one of the worst days of Middle East violence during the 17-month Intifada.
Israeli troops shot dead at least 35 Palestinians, including two young boys and one of Palestinian Authority President, Mr Yasser Arafat's leading military commanders.
The violence came after the US announced it was to send its peace envoy Gen Anthony Zinni, who is expected to arrive late next week with the hope of brokering a truce.
Still, Israel's Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, said last night he was ready to enter immediate talks on a ceasefire, and that he was dropping his long-standing demand for "seven days of quiet" as a precondition.
Mr Yasser Arafat, for his part, was said to have arrested the last remaining suspect in October's assassination of Israel's Tourism Minister - and so to have met conditions set by Mr Sharon for his release from three months of confinement.
This would enable Mr Arafat to attend a March 27th Arab League summit in Beirut, at which a Saudi proposal - for an Israeli withdrawal from all occupied territory, in return for normalised relations with the Arab world - is to be formally presented.
AFP