Jerusalem: Amidst spiralling violence in West Asia, at least 32 Palestinians and three Israelis were killed as Israel stepped up its offensive in the Northern Gaza Strip in an operation aimed at preventing militants from firing rockets into Israeli territory.

The upsurge in violence came after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon yesterday (Sep 30, 2004) asked the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to "do everything possible to check Qassam rockets" from landing in Israel. Two Israeli preschoolers were killed by a Hamas rocket in the Southern town of Sderot.

Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz announced a "large-scale and prolonged operation" to achieve that goal, local media said.

While the Palestinian Authority (PA) called for the international community to put a stop to Israel's actions in Gaza, leading to one of the bloodiest day of the conflict since the intifada broke out in 2000, Mofaz ordered the troops to step up the campaign and prepare to take over a buffer zone in the northern Gaza Strip.

A key aide to PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said that the PA was requesting, "The UN Security Council, the Quartet, and the United States to get involved immediately to put an end to the massacres Israel is committing in Gaza."

Palestinian hospital sources put the toll of Palestinians killed at 32, according to media reports.

An Israeli woman and two Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers were killed in separate Palestinian attacks in the northern Gaza Strip, the Army said.