Gaza voices: Beit Lahiya besieged

Israeli forces push into residential areas of the Gaza Strip

Palestinians in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip are sheltering indoors after Israeli tanks rolled into their town overnight, following rocket attacks launched by Palestinian militants at Ashkelon, an Israeli city 12km (eight miles) to the north. A number of people have been killed in clashes between Israeli troops and gunmen.

Three residents of the town share their experiences with the BBC News website.

HATEM SULTAN, BEIT LAHIYA, SALATIN DISTRICT

Two people from our village have been killed. Many people have left.

The forces of Israel are here, we see guns and bulldozers. They have destroyed many houses and trees.

We can't leave our land because they will destroy it. I am afraid my house will be bulldozed.

Many people needed ambulances to take them to hospital but the ambulances couldn't get there because it was too dangerous.

I can't look out of the windows. It is too dangerous. I must go now.

HAKIEM ABU SAMRA, PA EMPLOYEE, BEIT LAHIYA

Ten minutes ago the resistance fired two rockets at Israel from our area. This is bad news for us. Israel will fight back and when they are firing, bullets don't differentiate between the resistance and us.

Israel always has the right to do whatever it wants

We are living in a war. Everything is targeted by the army. They are bulldozing land, trees, houses.

Because of the tanks it is too dangerous to move. I didn't go to work today.

I counted 30 tanks moving in overnight, divided into two groups. They were covered by helicopters. They killed two civilians this morning.

My reaction to Israel being back in Gaza? Nobody is listening to us, whatever we say. Israel always has the right to do whatever it wants.

The Americans and some of the Europeans consider the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people as a kind of self defence. I don't know from what.

I do feel frightened. Thank God we are safe.

SOLAFA ODAH, TRANSLATOR, BEIT LAHIYA

I went to work today because the tanks were far from my area. I cannot always be absent from work.

Palestinian gunmen are fighting running battles with Israeli forces

Last night Israel fired on the homes in my area, three of the bullets hit our house. The Palestinian resistance has been launching rockets from our area, so we expect Israel to enter.

Sometimes people argue with the resistance, telling them to leave residential districts. Often they listen and agree. But sometimes they come early in the middle of the night and launch rockets anyway.

It has no real significance, Israel being in Gaza again. They are in a buffer zone which was empty anyway.

One of my brothers heard this morning that his strawberry nursery has been destroyed. Sometimes we understand if they destroy trees, because they think the resistance may hide behind them. But destroying small plants - it's done just to hurt us financially.