Gaza City, Gazy Strip ? Israeli tanks and troops clashed with militants early today in eastern Gaza, Palestinian security officials said, as Israel broadened an incursion to force the release of a captured soldier.

The Israeli forces, including some 15 tanks, entered Gaza early today near the Karni commercial crossing, moving along the border a quarter-mile from the densely populated Shajaiyeh neighborhood and two miles from Gaza City. The army had no immediate comment.

The air force fired missiles at a group of militants gathered at the outskirts of Shajaiyeh, injuring at least two people, Palestinian security and hospital officials said.

Israel launched its offensive almost two weeks ago, after Palestinian militants carried out a brazen cross-border attack on a military outpost, capturing a 19-year-old Israeli soldier. The military campaign is meant to get Cpl. Gilad Shalit released, and carve out a temporary buffer zone to halt Palestinian rocket fire.

Israeli troops killed 32 Palestinians in two days of air strikes and artillery barrages, Palestinian officials said.

Palestinians wait to fill cans of water at a distribution point in the southern Gaza Strip. Palestinians have been facing shortages of essential items in the Gaza Strip since the Israeli army began a military operation after an Israeli soldier was captured in an attack on a border outpost in Israel.

Israel sent conflicting signals Friday on whether it would be willing to swap Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit’s release. Public Security Minister Avi Dichter suggested Israel could be ready to cut a deal that would include Israel freeing some Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture.

If there is calm, “Israel will need to, after some time, release prisoners as a reciprocal gesture,” Dichter said. “Israel knows how to do this. Israel has done this more than once in the past.”

He was referring to previous prisoner swaps – usually in deals that free far more Palestinians than Israelis. Privately, Israeli officials have said they did not rule out talks in Shalit’s case, either.

Moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he has won Israeli assurances that it would reciprocate for Shalit’s release by freeing some prisoners, as well as Hamas politicians it has rounded up in recent days.

Officials close to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert later said Dichter’s statement did not reflect the views of the government and that Israel insists on the soldier’s unconditional release. However, the government did not issue a formal statement distancing itself from the minister.

Israel does not want to be seen as cutting a deal with Hamas militants, but also does not seem to have a way to free the soldier by force.