Israel's Gaza City assault on; 34 dead

Jerusalem: Israel's military kept up its assault on Gaza City and the wider Gaza Strip on Saturday, dismantling underground shafts and booby-trapped structures in attacks that left 34 Palestinians dead, according to Gazan health authorities.

The assault came as 10 countries including Australia, Belgium, Britain and Canada are scheduled to formally recognise an independent Palestinian state on Monday, ahead of the annual leaders' gathering at the UN General Assembly. Israel's intensified military demolition campaign targeting high-rise buildings in Gaza City began this week alongside a ground assault.

Its forces, which control Gaza City's eastern suburbs, have in recent days been pounding the Sheikh Radwan and Tel Al-Hawa areas from where they would be positioned to advance on central and western parts of the city, where most of the population is sheltering. The military estimates it has demolished up to 20 Gaza City tower blocks and believes some 350,000 people have left Gaza City since the start of Sept.

(This is a Reuters story)