Scores of Palestinian gunmen were hiding inside one of Christianity's holiest shrines -- Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity -- yester-day, seeking refuge from Israeli troops that invaded the city as part of an offensive aimed at crushing Palestinian militias.
Israeli forces expanded their campaign early yesterday, taking over the Palestinian towns of Jenin and Salfit, and surrounding the Jenin refugee camp, a militant stronghold. Israeli tanks and helicopter gunships exchanged fire with hundreds of armed men in the camp. Three militiamen and a nurse were killed in the fighting, militia leaders said.
In Bethlehem, the bodies of four gunmen shot dead Tuesday remained sprawled on a sidestreet near the Church of the Nativity, with rescue services unable to reach them because of gunfire.
A tank was stationed at the edge of Manger Square, adjacent to the church, the army said. Bethlehem Mayor Hana Nasser said soldiers had occupied the municipality building overlooking the square and the church.
At the Church of the Nativity -- built over the traditional birthplace of Jesus -- priests were forced to give refuge to Palestinian police and militiamen, who, according to witnesses, shot their way in on Tuesday after running battles with Israeli troops firing from helicopter gunships and from tank-mounted machine guns.
As Israeli soldiers encircled the church, the Palestinians rested in pews and on the stone floor, said Samir, a Palestinian policeman inside the church. "First of all, most of the guys have run out of bullets and secondly, we're completely surrounded," Samir said.
About 120 armed men were hiding in the church, said Marc Innaro, a correspondent for Italy's RAI TV, who was trapped in the compound by the fighting, along with five colleagues.
Ten of the gunmen were woun-ded, including one who was in critical condition, said the Palestinian governor of Bethlehem, Mo-hammed Madani.
Madani, who is in the church, said yesterday he was trying to negotiate with Israeli officials, requesting medical assistance for the wounded and food for those inside the church. Madani said Israeli officials were not responding to the appeals.
Raanan Gissin, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sha-ron, said the gunmen "abuse churches and holy sites in Bethlehem as a refuge and as a place from which they can conduct their attacks on our forces."
Israeli forces have entered Bethlehem several times during the past 18 months of fighting, but they are under orders not to harm holy places, and they have kept their distance from the church.
In Jenin, at least 30 tanks rumbled into the town from all sides, exchanging fire with Palestinians at the entrance of a refugee camp.
Among the four Palestinians killed in the camp was a 27-year-old nurse and Ziad Amer, local leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, a militia linked to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah group.
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