Fighting between Hamas and Israel rages

GAZA, Jan 02 (Reuters/AFP): Israel said on Tuesday its troops had killed dozens of militants in the north of the Gaza Strip in the past day, while its aircraft and tanks stepped up strikes in the south of the Palestinian enclave.

Residents said heavy fighting was also raging in central areas, citing shelling by Israeli tanks of parts of the Al-Bureij refugee camp.

The actions took place after Israel announced plans to pull back some troops, signalling a new phase in the nearly three-month-long war against Hamas amid global concern over the plight of Gaza residents.

Israeli bombardments have reduced much of the territory to rubble, killed nearly 22,000 Palestinians, and engulfed its 2.3 million residents in a humanitarian disaster. Israeli officials say the offensive has many months to run.

In its daily briefing, the Israeli military said that in the past day its forces had targeted militants in Gaza City in the north of the enclave and in unspecified locations along the Mediterranean coast.

"In Jabaliya area, troops killed dozens of terrorists, among them those who attempted to plant explosive devices, others who operated drones and those who were armed identified driving toward the forces," the military said.

Troops also seized weapons and dismantled rocket launchers in Khan Younis in the south and in a United Nations school in Al-Bureij, Israel's military said.

Gaza residents said Israeli war planes and tanks stepped up bombardments of the eastern and northern areas of Khan Younis, where tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought refuge after being forced from their homes elsewhere in the densely-populated territory.

Israel troops kill

4 Palestinians

in West Bank raid

Israeli troops killed four Palestinians during a raid in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, sources on both sides said, with the army describing the four as "terrorists".

"Four Palestinians were martyred by occupation bullets in the town of Azzun," the Palestinian health ministry said.

The official Wafa news agency said the men were shot dead when clashes erupted as Israeli troops raided the town.

"Israeli occupation soldiers fired live ammunition, stun grenades and tear gas at residents during the raid," the report said.

Israeli troops searched homes and businesses, and took sur