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| Middle East |
| 4 IDF Soldiers, 3 Hamas Dead in Gaza Attack |
| 2003-06-08 |
| JPost - Reg Req'd. Hamas, IJ back to business Four IDF soldiers were killed and four were wounded early Sunday after Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an IDF outpost near the Erez checkpoint in the Gaza Strip. Three of the dead were soldiers serving in the reserves and one of the soldiers was a non-commissioned officer. According to initial reports, three Palestinians, disguised as IDF soldiers, infiltrated the outpost around 6 a.m. opening fire and throwing grenades. Two soldiers were immediately killed and two others were killed shortly after. According to a senior IDF officer in the Gaza Strip, the three gunmen, members of the Islamic Jihad, arrived at the Erez crossing together with other Palestinian workers who were on their way to work in Israel. At a certain point, the gunmen left the group, climbed a concrete wall of the nearby industrial zone and hid in a factory from where they initiated their attack. And the rest of the Paleos will whine when Israel doesn't allow them in to work, of course IDF troops in a nearby military base, hearing the gunfire, arrived at the scene of the attack, identified the gunmen and shot and killed them. Duct tape and handcuffs were found on the bodies of the gunmen, Army Radio said. The radio also reported that the IDF has not ruled out the possibility that the gunmen had intended to kidnap the soldiers with the aim of swapping them for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Islamic Jihad, Fatah and Hamas issued a joint statement claiming responsibility for the attack. A leaflet gave the names of the gunmen, all in their early 20s, one from each group. "This joint operation was committed to confirm our people's united choice of holy war and resistance until the end of occupation over our land and holy places," the leaflet said. Sharon adviser Dore Gold said Palestinian Prime Minister Abbas had committed himself to an immediate halt to attacks on Israelis as called for in the road map, yet the attacks have not stopped. "This must come to an end," he said. The incident occurred some hours after soldiers shot and killed another armed Palestinian in clashes in the southern Gaza Strip. Following the attack the Transportation Ministry issued an order closing the Erez crossing, which is used by Palestinian workers entering Israel. Already before the attack several thousand Palestinians had already entered Israel via the crossing. Reports said that a heavy fog in the area apparently served as a cover for the gunmen as they approached the outpost. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz reinstated a closure on the territories late Saturday night, due to warnings of plans to carry out terror attacks, following Hamas' rejection of Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas' ceasefire bid. Time for Abbas to actually do something - talk is cheap. I think a few targetted "militants" at the top of their food chain...a Paleo civil war is the only answer |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #1 Fox is saying they were all 3 Hamas, not one from each as in the article, that's why I wrote the title that way |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-06-08 09:09:41 |