Israel has threatened tougher military action in the occupied Gaza Strip should Palestinians continue to open fire against Jewish settlements.

Deputy Defence Minister Zeev Boim said on Thursday that Israel must act in a more aggressive manner. He added that Israel has acted with restraint recently because it wants to have calm in the run-up to its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

Zeev Boim added it is inconceivable to proceed with the evacuation under Palestinian fire.

On Wednesday, Israel launched its first air strike since January against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip who were preparing to fire mortars at a Jewish settlement.

The violence threatens a de facto truce, which Palestinian militants have been observing since January.

Palestinian militants had fired a total of 36 mortars at Gaza Jewish settlements since Wednesday in revenge of a 25-year-old Hamas member, who was shot dead by the Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip early in the day.

(CRI.com May 20, 2005)