Dozens of Israeli tanks backed by attack helicopters raided the Rafah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip early yesterday in one of the largest opera-tions in 30 months of fighting. At least five Palestinians and one Israeli soldier were killed in the violence.

　　In response to the raid, Palestinians fired three Qassam rockets at the Israeli town of Sderot, the town's mayor and Israel Radio reported. One of the missiles landed on a residential building in the center of the town, wounding at least one woman and setting parts of the structure on fire, Sderot Mayor Pinchas Rosef Cohen said. Residents were evacuated from their homes.

　　In the West Bank city of Nablus on Saturday, an Associated Press Tele-vision News cameraman was shot and killed during a clash between Israeli forces and Palestinians, and a Palestinian attacker was shot dead in another part of the West Bank.

　　The violence came as Palestinian leaders continued to argue over the makeup of a new Cabinet under premier-designate Mahmoud Abbas, with the United States and other powers preparing to present a new Mideast peace plan once the government takes office.

　　In the crowded Rafah refugee camp on the Egypt-Gaza border, at least 40 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli troops, witnesses said. A 15-year-old boy, three men in their 20s and a policeman were killed, Palestinian doctors said.

　　One soldier was killed and three others were wounded when a Palestinian sniper fired on a force that was searching an area of the camp, the army said.

　　Palestinian militants often fire Qassam rockets at Israeli towns in the Negev Desert that are just a few kilometers from the Gaza Strip. The highly inaccurate homemade rockets have caused damage and wounded some people.

　　Israeli forces penetrated Rafah from three directions, using more than 35 tanks and armored personnel carriers, bulldozers and jeeps. Five attack helicopters circled above, flashing spotlights above the crowded camp,swheresapproximately 60,000 live.

　　"I was sitting outside with some friends playing cards when suddenly we came under fire," said Marwan Khatib, 39, who lives in the camp which is less than 3 kilometers from the Egyptian border. "Bullets hit the wall next to us and tanks were coming toward us very fast," he said.

　　The Israeli military said soldiers destroyed two tunnels used for smuggling weapons under the Gaza- Egypt border and blew up the house of local Hamas leader Mahmoud Abu Shamala.

　　In a statement, the military said Palestinians attacked the Israelis with firearms, explosives and anti-tank rockets, and soldiers returning fire hit some of the gunmen. The Israelis pulled out before daybreak, the statement said.

　　Rafah has been a flashpoint of tensions between Israeli troops and Palestinians.