Israeli planes hit Palestinian police HQ

Arafat says Palestinians, Israelis to meet

Rescue workers light the scene of the attack in Gaza on Friday morning.

GAZA (CNN) -- Israeli warplanes hit the Palestinian police headquarters in Gaza early Friday, hours before Israel and Palestinian security officials were set to meet.

At least two large explosions shook the ground. Ambulances with sirens blaring sped toward the scene.

Hospital officials said at least 17 people were injured, mostly security officials in or around the dormitory and mess hall -- the buildings hit inside the police compound. One of the injured was a 13-year-old boy sleeping in his bed in a nearby house, the officials said.

Residents said other Palestinian Authority installations also were hit. The strikes took place around 3 a.m. local time (8 p.m. ET).

In Khan Younis, Israeli special forces backed by tanks entered the refugee camp that became a town and arrested two Palestinians, witnesses said. One is a journalist who works for the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, and the other is a local activist.

Friday's meeting was announced Thursday by Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, who said it would be mediated by Anthony Zinni, U.S. envoy to the Middle East. The two had met in Ramallah in the West Bank.

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The meeting would be the first between the two sides since the weekend attacks by Palestinian suicide bombers that killed 25 Israelis and Israeli retaliatory strikes against Palestinian targets in the West Bank and Gaza.

Arafat also met Thursday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, as did Israeli officials. Maher and Zinni are trying to prevent the conflicts from spiraling out of control after one of the bloodiest weeks in 14 months of violence in the region.

U.S. looks for action

A day after President Bush told Arafat he needed to do more to "rout out terrorists," White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said Bush believes Arafat still "needs to do more to bring about a secure environment in the Middle East."

"The president is interested in results, and the president will be looking to make certain that Chairman Arafat takes enduring, real and meaningful actions so the terrorists who are trying to interrupt the peace process in the Middle East cannot be successful," Fleischer said.

While there had been some progress on arrests in Palestinian-controlled territory, Fleischer said Bush "has made clear ... to Chairman Arafat that when they arrest people, they need to keep them detained."

Bush on Thursday morning called Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and praised his "courageous leadership," Fleischer said.

"The United States and Egypt are working together closely to end the violence and to bring peace to the region," Fleischer said.

He said the two men discussed Egypt's economic situation and Bush "reaffirmed his desire to assist Egypt."

Violence among Palestinians

Meanwhile, the situation remained tense in Gaza after the Palestinian Authority placed Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin under house arrest.

Hundreds of Hamas supporters gathered outside Yassin's home Thursday, hours after militants reportedly opened fire on Palestinian police guarding it, according to Israel Radio.

A Hamas activist died at a Gaza hospital Thursday after being shot in overnight clashes between Palestinian Authority forces and members and supporters of the Islamic militant group, Israel Radio said. A Palestinian policeman was injured.

Palestinian police said militants with the Izzeddin al-Qassam brigade, the military wing of Hamas, started firing on police outside the home after Palestinian intelligence agents and police delivered the order for Yassin's house arrest.

A Hamas source sitting inside the home with Yassin disputed that report. He told CNN the people were "marching in protest" of the house arrest and that the only shots were by Palestinian police firing in the air.

Yassin is the spiritual leader of Hamas, which along with another militant group called the Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the weekend suicide attacks.

The Palestinian Authority said it has arrested about 170 suspects in a crackdown following the attacks and has outlawed militant groups in its territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government maintains that those detained are low- and mid-level operatives of groups targeting Israel and says the leaders of the groups must be arrested.

Sharon said earlier this week Arafat must meet five demands before a political agreement between Israel and the Palestinians can be forged.

The criteria included the arrest of leaders of militant organizations, dismantling those organizations, destroying all illegal weapons, effectively stopping those who plan terror attacks and halting incitement against Israel.

Elsewhere, Israeli army radio said Israel Defense Forces in a northern section of Gaza killed one Palestinian militant and captured another Thursday afternoon after the two fired mortars at Jewish settlements.

There were no injuries or damage caused by the two mortars, the army radio said.