Twenty Palestinians inside Arafat compound surrendser to IDF

Twenty Palestinians, including some wanted by Israel, holed up inside Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's Ramallah compound, surrendered to IDF troops Friday morning and IDF tanks kept up their siege of the compound following a cabinet decision Thursday night demanding that the PA hand over wanted militants from inside the compound, Israel Radio reported.

An emergency session of the cabinet unanimously decided Thursday evening to isolate Arafat rather than expel him, and called for the immediate handing over of 15 to 20 Palestinians wanted by Israel for suspected links to terror who are holed up in the compound.

Soldiers with loudspeakers called on wanted Palestinians inside Arafat's compound to surrender, naming Tawfik Tirawi, commander of Palestinian intelligence, an Israeli official said.

Also Friday, two Palestinians were shot dead by IDF troops in the Gaza Strip during a brief incursion, Palestinian sources reported.

The two, a 25-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man, were killed by gunfire, doctors said.

IDF troops also demolished 34 metal workshops suspected of producing explosives in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip.

Also Friday, 12 Palestinians were injured after IDF troops opened fire in Rafah in the Gaza Strip.