Palestinian troops deploy in Gaza

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Palestinian security forces are being deployed in the northern Gaza Strip in an effort to prevent militants firing rockets at Israeli targets.

Hundreds of police were due to take up positions early on Friday after Israel accepted detailed plans submitted by Gaza security chief Musa Arafat.

The deployment prompted Israel to halt plans for a major ground incursion.

The Rafah border from Egypt to Gaza was also due to be re-opened to incoming traffic on Friday, Israel said.

Israel was also reported to have eased traffic restrictions on the main road running north-south through Gaza.

The Palestinian troop deployment came after Israel lifted a ban on contacts with newly-elected Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had accused Mr Abbas of not acting swiftly after a militant attack at the Gaza-Israel border killed six Israelis last week.

In other developments:

A teenage Palestinian boy was shot and killed by Israeli troops as he played with a toy rifle in the West Bank city of Jenin

Troops killed another boy, aged 13, as he walked close to the Rafah refugee camp.

'Peace and negotiations'

About 1,000 border police are being deployed in Gaza in the first wave, with more to follow.

Musa Arafat, the Palestinian security chief in Gaza, told the Associated Press news agency that the operation would begin in the north but would be extended to the south of the Gaza Strip.

Speaking after prayers in Gaza, where he has spent this week negotiating a possible ceasefire with militant groups, Mr Abbas said Palestinians "believe in peace, and we believe in negotiations".

Reaction in Israel to the Palestinian deployment was generally positive.

Army Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon said the move showed that Palestinian leaders "understand more and more that terrorism does not pay".

"This is an effort here that was never seen during the lifetime of Yasser Arafat," said Israel's Interior Minister, Ophir Pines.

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