Israeli soldier wounded in blast near Gaza border

JERUSALEM - An Israeli soldier was wounded Thursday when an explosive device blew up near his vehicle on a road skirting the Gaza Strip, a military source said.
The blast took place near the Karni crossing on a road just inside Israel, the source said. The soldier was evacuated to hospital.
A Palestinian security spokesman confirmed "the powerful explosion", saying troops had opened fire immediately afterwards and that several ambulances were seen rushing to the scene.
The Palestinian interior ministry said an investigation had been opened into the cause of the explosion, even though it had happened on the Israeli side of the border.
"The Palestinian security services have begun an investigation into the explosion according to our commitments to protect the calm and to protect our internal national interests, even though the explosion happened in an area under Israeli control," the ministry said.

04/21/2005 11:43 GMT