In Gaza, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz is reporting that Israeli forces plan to demolish dozens and possibly hundreds of Palestinian homes near the Egyptian border. The demolitions were approved Thursday at a high-level meeting attended by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Earlier in the week the United Nations reported that home demolitions have already left more than 1,000 Palestinians homeless this month. One opposition Israeli lawmaker said Sharon’s plan would be a war crime and he warned against Israel razing half of the town of Rafah. The decision comes after a deadly three-day period in Gaza that has seen at least 27 Palestinains and 11 Israeli soldiers killed in fighting.