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.
