The Israeli occupation army demolished the home of a Palestinian activist in the Gaza Strip Wednesday, killing an elderly woman inside, while in the West Bank, occupation troops shot dead a Palestinian policeman, officials and witnesses said.
Also, the occupation army said 15 wanted Palestinians were arrested in raids throughout the West Bank early Wednesday, and seven more Palestinians were taken in for questioning.

In central Gaza, Israeli forces entered the Maghazi refugee camp and tore down the house that belonged to Baha Abu Said, a resistance activist who died during a November 2000 attack in which he killed two Israeli occupation soldiers.

Abu Said's stepmother, Kamla Abu Said, was in the home when it was demolished, and died of chest injuries, according to relatives and doctors at the Al Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah. It was not clear why she was still in the house at the time of the demolition.

Israeli occupation troops call for people to leave a house before tearing it down, though there have been instances where deaf people were unaware of the impending demolition, and were trapped inside. Abu Said's relatives said her hearing was poor, but she was not deaf.

The Israeli occupation army, which has torn down dozens of homes belonging to activists in recent months, said it was investigating the incident. Palestinian witnesses also said that four members of the Abu Said family were detained, but the occupation army said it had no information on arrests.

During the Israeli incursion in the camp, occupation troops and Palestinian gunmen exchanged fire, and a 62-year-old Palestinian bystander was wounded, apparently while watching from his window, Palestinians said. He was treated at a nearby hospital and released.

Meanwhile, in the West Bank town of Qalqiliya, Israeli occupation troops shot dead a Palestinian policeman, and a second man was injured as the occupation army conducted a search operation.

According to Palestinian officials and residents, 10 Israeli jeeps entered Qalqiliya Wednesday morning and fired on unarmed Palestinian police. The Israeli occupation army said that occupation soldiers spotted the police, who began to flee and ignored orders to stop. The occupation army said the occupation troops then fired, killing one man and injuring another.

Palestinians identified the dead man as policeman Rida Ghanem, 22.

Palestinian officials said the occupation army then searched Palestinian police headquarters, looking for weapons.

In Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, eight Palestinians were lightly injured when the Israeli occupation army fired three tank shells, Palestinians in the area said. The Israeli occupation army said it was still investigating, and declined to comment.

PHOTO CAPTION

An Israeli bulldozer destroys a Palestinian house in Deir el Balah near the Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom southern Gaza Strip , Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003. Palestinians seriously wounded a Jewish settler in a shooting attack in the Kfar Darom settlement near Deir el Balah in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. The Islamic resistance group Hamas claimed responsibility for the shooting in the settlement. In response, several Israeli tanks drove into the nearby Palestinian town of Deir al Balah, demolishing two houses, a chicken coop and a greenhouse, witnesses said. Occupation troops also searched several homes, arresting one man. The occupation army spokesman did not immediately comment. (AP Photo/Adelo Han