GAZA CITY [MENL] -- Palestinians are bracing for an Israeli military attack on the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian sources said the Israeli military had planned an attack on several Gaza cities earlier this month. But the sources said the attack was cancelled amid what was apparently U.S. pressure on the Jewish state.
The Palestinian Authority and its aligned militias have been bolstering fortifications of several cities in Gaza. This has included building obstacles in urban areas and mining streets with explosives.
Gaza residents have been warned to keep away from the hills of sand that mark city streets. The piles are said to contain hundreds of kilograms of explosives.
Palestinian sources said many vehicles parked in Gaza cities have also been booby-trapped with explosives. The sources said the effort is based on the success of Palestinian insurgents in the West Bank in slowing down the offensive by Israeli troops.