Trying to Roust Militants, Israel Blasts Building in Hebron
The Israeli military blasted away a section of the huge and sturdy Palestinian Authority building in Hebron late Friday night, in an attempt to end a four-day standoff with some 15 Palestinian militants who are believed to be inside hiding from heavy Israeli fire.

Details were sketchy, but journalists at the scene and local residents described a large explosion not long before midnight that rattled houses around the hilltop where the building sits. Early this morning the Israeli military confirmed that it had "detonated in a controlled manner" part of the four-story building.

Early today, a second explosion brought down the rest of the building.

There was some question about deaths or whether anyone was still inside. About 150 people have emerged from the building since Israeli tanks moved into Hebron on Tuesday night in search Palestinian militants and weapons. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the "assumption" was that people remained inside.

But earlier Friday, a former Palestinian minister, Talan Sidr, was permitted to go inside the already heavily damaged with a bullhorn to negotiate with the holdouts. He came out saying he had found no one.

"I kept searching, but no one responded," Mr. Sidr said after leaving the building. "I didn't find anybody."
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/29/international/middleeast/29MIDE.html