Note: A notation of the form (R9) means all bulletins so marked are associated with bulletin 9. There can be a group of such reference files.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says his troops will stay in Palestinian towns until "the terrorists surrender."

 He was speaking hours before the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. The United States has been pressing Israel to withdraw from all Palestinian cities and towns occupied in Israel's offensive of the past two weeks.
 
 

AP

 Israeli tanks and troops remain in the key Palestinian cities of Nablus, Ramallah, Jenin and Bethlehem and on the outskirts of two more.

 In the Jenin refugee camp, a last pocket of 36 Palestinian fighters surrendered to Israeli forces Thursday, apparently after running out of food, water and ammunition. About 300 fighters surrendered late Wednesday. Palestinian officials are calling for help to relocate hundreds of families left homeless by the Israeli attack on the refugee camp.

 The Jenin camp was the scene of the some of the worst fighting of the offensive launched by Israel after a series of Palestinian suicide bombings against Israeli civilians. 

At least 100 Palestinians and 23 Israeli soldiers were killed in the refugee camp. Israeli forces continue house to house searches there. Troops shot one camp resident today.

 Israel says it has arrested more than 4,000 Palestinians during its two-week operation - nearly double the number it reported two days ago.

 In Hebron, a Palestinian man was killed when explosives he was carrying blew up near a taxi stand. Several bystanders were injured. Three other Palestinians were killed in the village of Arrabe by Israeli army gunfire. 

Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters. 

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