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Breaking News

Israeli Forces Reoccupy Parts of Gaza Strip

Aired April 17, 2001 - 15:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOIE CHEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. I'm Joie Chen at CNN Center. Here's a quick look at some of the news making our headlines this hour from the CNN news room.

Officials in Israel now tell CNN that Israeli troops are being pulled out of the tiny portion of Gaza that they pushed into overnight.

In a series of attacks, Israeli forces hit Palestinian security targets, closed major roads and reoccupied Gaza's northeast corner. One Israeli general had warned that his men could stay there for months, in his words. Earlier today, as you may have seen here on CNN, the Bush administration condemned the Israeli push as excessive and disproportionate. It followed a mortar attack launched from Gaza yesterday that came within 5 miles of the Israeli prime minister's ranch.

On the latest development now, we're joined on the telephone line by CNN's Mike Hanna, who is in Gaza now. Mike, what can you tell us?

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Israeli government announcement that it is withdrawing its troops from positions that they reoccupied within the last 24 hours cannot be confirmed at this particular point. In fact, eyewitnesses at (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- that is in the northern Gaza Strip, which is one of the areas reoccupied by Israeli troops -- eyewitnesses there say that the tanks that had been moved further into Palestinian territory are still in the same positions that they were. The bulldozers that had been clearing expanses of land in the region of Base Hunun (ph) are still operating there. So at this particular point, there is no indication in the region of Base Hunun (ph) that there is any Israeli withdrawal under way.

CHEN: CNN's Mike Hanna there in Gaza, again telling us that despite some reports we're receiving here at CNN, there is no confirmation on the ground in Gaza at this point that Israeli forces are moving out of the areas that they had occupied just overnight here.

It has been a significant development. Israeli forces had not been in this area in some years. They have moved back in, and there was some indications that they were there to stay for some time. However, the late reports CNN had received is that the Israeli military had been ready to pull out of this region. And obviously, still a situation in a great deal of flux.

We're continuing to watch with Mike Hanna and we'll bring you the latest developments as they come into us.

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