In the Rafah refugee camp, which has been frequently targeted by Israeli troops, gunmen have scaled back their activities in recent weeks, in an apparent effort to preserve strength and cut down on casualties.
Sunday's raid was the deadliest in Gaza since October 2002, when 19 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli operation in the Khan Younis refugee camp.
In the past week, Israeli helicopter gunships have struck twice, killing six militants and a boy in missile attacks in Gaza City. On Saturday, three militant Palestinian groups sent bomb-laden jeeps in a suicide mission aimed at blowing up an Israeli checkpoint on the edge of Gaza. Six Palestinians were killed in the blasts and exchanges of fire.
The 14 people killed Sunday were given a joint funeral. Tens of thousands marched in the streets, and masked Hamas militants pledged revenge. Hamas has carried out dozens of suicide bombings against Israelis during 41 months of conflict. One Hamas gunman told mourners the militants are sending a message to Sharon that "we are ready for confrontation."
The Palestinian Authority denounced the Israeli raid as "state terrorism." A statement said the raid was connected to Israel's go-it-alone plan and urged the international community to intervene.
Avi Pazner, an Israeli government spokesman, said such raids help save Israeli lives.
"Terrorism is pouring out of this refugee camp, and we have to stop it," Pazner said of Bureij.
Yesterday, a 16-year-old Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire near the Gaza town of Khan Younis, hospital doctors said. The youth was driving a tractor on the family farm when he was hit in the back by a large-caliber bullet, doctors said. The firing was preceded by a sporadic exchange of fire between Palestinian gunmen and soldiers in the area. The Israeli military said it was checking the report.
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