Truck Explodes At Gaza Hamas Rally

Hamas Blames Israel; Palestinian Authority Blames Carelessness

(CBS/AP)  "If that crossing doesn't function in a positive way, that has very negative security consequences," Regev said, without clarifying why Israel allowed the two-day opening.

Rafah is important to the economic recovery of Gaza, which was devastated by nearly five years of Israeli-Palestinian fighting. Stable border arrangements there would encourage foreign investment in Gaza and ensure the free flow of people, long cooped up under Israeli travel restrictions.

On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz indicated Israel would speed up its plans to reopen Rafah, probably by January.

Also Friday, Israeli forces killed three Palestinian gunmen in a West Bank raid.

Israeli forces entered the village of Ilar near Tulkarem after midnight and surrounded a building to arrest senior Islamic Jihad militants inside, the military said. Three gunmen fled and were killed after opening fire on pursuing Israeli troops, the military said.

Palestinians identified the dead men as Jamil Abu Saada, 25; Said Al-Ashkar, 23, a Palestinian policeman whose family is active in Islamic Jihad; and Raed Ajaj, 30, an Islamic Jihad leader from Tulkarem.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas called the killings a "dangerous and unjustified action. We are exerting efforts to maintain the cease-fire and they are doing this action without any reason."

Despite the cease-fire declared in February, Israel continues to target Islamic Jihad cells. Abbas said he protested to Israel and the United States.

Islamic Jihad has been involved in several attacks on Israeli targets since the cease-fire.