BEIT HANOUN, Gaza (Reuters)

Rasmiya Mahmoud has seen plenty of Israeli raids into the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. But nothing like this.

Dozens of Israeli tanks have encircled the town of 30,000 people since Wednesday. Heavily armed soldiers, trying to stop militant rocket fire at the nearby Jewish state, have fought running battles with militants.

The army has curbed movement, telling people to stay home, and rounded many men up for questioning. It is hard for reporters to move from the outskirts of town to the center.

On Saturday, however, the army allowed women in Beit Hanoun to go out for two hours to buy food.

“Myself and other women were shocked. It’s unbelievable,” Mahmoud, a teacher, said by telephone after venturing outside.

“Electricity poles have been uprooted, the road has been torn up. Sewage has flooded into the streets,” she added.

More than 30 Palestinians, half of them civilians, have been killed in Beit Hanoun in the past four days, medical officials said. One Israeli soldier has also been killed.

Israel’s army has denied suggestions it had seized the town, saying it was under a “general closure”.

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