GAZA CITY — Hamas leaders vowed Tuesday that their Islamic movement would continue suicide attacks on Israelis and dismissed Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stated intention to destroy the militant group in its Gaza Strip stronghold.
A day after Sharon issued his threat and President Bush said Palestinian statehood can come only after terrorist attacks cease and Palestinians replace their leadership, the Gaza Strip on Tuesday was tense but quiet.
Speaking to a committee of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, Sharon elaborated on the pledge he made to his Likud Party on Monday that he would launch a massive operation in Gaza against Hamas.
He has no intention of reoccupying Gaza, Sharon reportedly said, but intends to deal a blow to Hamas. His statement was interpreted by Israeli analysts as meaning that Israel will step up targeted killings of the militant group's leaders.
Israeli helicopters killed six Palestinians in the southern Gaza town of Rafah on Monday, and the army later said it had targeted Yasser Rizik, who was among the dead. Rizik was a senior Hamas activist in the town.
"We are taking precautions, but we must always take precautions," Ismail abu Shanab, a Hamas spokesman, said Tuesday. "What more can Sharon do to us that he has not already done? The resistance will continue."
As Abu Shanab spoke in his Gaza City home, Israeli troops continued search-and-arrest operations throughout the West Bank in what the army described as counter-terrorism measures.
What Israel has dubbed Operation Determined Path began last week, after back-to-back suicide bombings in Jerusalem killed 26 Israelis. Sharon has said troops will remain in the West Bank as long as it takes to destroy militant groups carrying out such attacks.
As of Tuesday, Israeli soldiers were occupying seven of the eight major West Bank cities, with Jericho still not held. Palestinians said four of their policemen were shot dead Tuesday in clashes with troops in Hebron, where tanks shelled the Palestinian Authority's headquarters overnight and troops imposed a curfew on residents.
About 150 Palestinians who had sought shelter in the headquarters surrendered to troops Tuesday morning. The army later said that 20 of those were wanted militants. In a statement, the army said it uncovered an explosives laboratory in Hebron and found weapons caches in other cities.
