Arafat announces that he will continue the general strike until October 22, the day the Arab leaders are scheduled to meet in an emergency summit. PA security takes over, but by late morning a throng of Palestinian demonstrators storms the compound, setting fires and tearing away the rock facade of the structure. In Netzarim, clashes leave two more Palestinians dead. The total casualties now pass 2,000 wounded and as many as 86 killed, although the PA claims 113 dead. In southern Lebanon, Palestinian refugees launch a barage of stones over the border fence at IDF positions.
Return fire leaves one refugee dead.
Hizbollah guerillas capture three Israeli soldiers at the border and refuse to disclose their condition. Hizbollah offers a prisoner exchange - it's Israeli captives for civilian political prisoners in Israel. International leaders scramble to arrange meetings to find a breakthrough in light of Barak's ultimatum. Kofi Annan announces a trip to Israel and Palestine, and Russian FM Igor Ivanov flies to Syria to meet his counterpart Farouk Al Shara to discuss the trouble in Lebanon. Barak closes the Gaza airport early this morning as the IDF destroys two apartment buildings in Gaza suspected of housing militants.