World Tribune.com
Invest

Israel raids Gaza, 13 dead

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Monday, October 7, 2002

GAZA CITY Ñ An Israeli military strike force has raided a city in the Gaza Strip and 13 people were reportedly killed.

The combined Israeli task force, composed of infantry, helicopters, tanks and armored personnel carriers, entered Khan Yunis overnight Monday and encountered Palestinian insurgents. In the ensuring firefight, 13 Palestinians were reportedly killed and more than 100 injured in the first Israeli operation in the Hamas stronghold.

Palestinian sources said an Israel AH-64A Apache helicopter also fired toward a hospital in Khan Yunis. At least eight people were injured.

An Israel AH-64A Apache helicopter also fired toward a hospital in Khan Yunis, Palestinian sources said. At least eight people were injured.

"I call on Arab and Islamic forces everywhere to attack Zionist targets wherever they are," Hamas spokesman Abdul Aziz Rantisi said. "All of them are criminals and killers."

In the first such Israeli military operation in the city, about 40 Israeli tanks entered the Khan Yunis neighborhood of Al Aman at about 2 a.m. local time Monday [1900 hours EST] and were said to have struck positions and suspected insurgents near a downtown mosque. Most of the Palestinian casualties, who included Hamas supporters summoned by a mosque preacher, were said to have been killed by a missile fired from an Israeli attack helicopter.

Hamas insurgents detonated explosives and opened rocket fire toward the Israeli soldiers. Israeli military sources said none of the soldiers were injured.

"From this [Khan Yunis] neighborhood, most of the fire toward [the Jewish settlement bloc of] Gush Katif and infiltration attempts were carried out," Brig. Gen. Yisrael Ziv, head of Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, said. "This was a nest for terrorists. The mission was to enter the stronghold and strike at fugitives. We took into account that civilians would be hurt."

Israel has been targeting Hamas insurgents and facilities in the Gaza Strip since the Islamic movement blew up a passenger bus in Tel Aviv last month. Five Israelis were killed in the Hamas suicide mission in Tel Aviv.

Khan Yunis is regarded as a center for Hamas's weapons production facilities. They include the Kassam-class short-range rockets and the Al Bana anti-tank rocket. Some of the Hamas rockets have struck cities in Israel. During the Israeli mission in Khan Yunis, Palestinian gunners fired three mortars toward a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli military sources said the task force had sought to capture two Palestinian insurgents. The sources said the insurgents escaped.

In Ramallah, Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has won another reprieve by legislators to form a new government. The Palestinian Legislative Council agreed to grant Arafat until Nov. 5 to form a new Cabinet. Arafat was bound to present such a Cabinet on Sept. 25, but the Israeli siege on his headquarters prevented the move.

Arafat's 21-member Cabinet resigned last month amid efforts by Palestinian legislators to vote for a motion of no-confidence. Legislators have demanded a shakeup in the Cabinet to dismiss ministers accused of corruption.

PLC deputy speaker Ibrahim Abu Naja said the request for a month-long extension to Arafat was granted over the weekend.

In Gaza City, a senior PA security officer was assassinated on Tuesday. The officer was identified as Col. Rajah Ali Yehya, a senior police commander.

Print this Article Print this Article Email this article Email this article Subscribe to this Feature Free Headline Alerts
Google
Search Worldwide Web Search WorldTribune.com Search WorldTrib Archives

See current edition of Geostrategy-Direct.com

Return to World Tribune.com Front Cover

Back to School Sweepstakes