GAZA: Four Palestinian terrorists militants and an Israeli soldier were killed and seven others injured yesterday in the heaviest Gaza fighting since Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's death, raising the prospect that renewed violence could complicate a vote for his successor.
The blast, east of Gaza City, triggered a lengthy battle between soldiers and Palestinian fighters. Four terrorists fighters were killed in the fighting. Seven Palestinians, including two teens, were wounded, Palestinian officials said.
The fighting ended a period of relative calm in Gaza after the death of Arafat. The interim Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, has tried to persuade terrorists fighters to suspend attacks on Israelis ahead of Palestinian presidential elections on January 9. The main terrorist militant groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have not given a specific promise, but indicated they would not disrupt Abbas' efforts.
Hamas claimed responsibility for yesterday's ambush.
| "We dunnit, and we're glad we dunnit!" |
Mushir Al Masri, a Hamas spokesman, said the attack was a "natural response to the continuous Israeli crimes against our people and against our terrorists fighters." It said two terrorists members involved in the ambush were killed. At a news conference, three masked terrorists fighters described an elaborate scheme to lure soldiers to the area with the help of a now dead double agent.
Hamas said it dug a tunnel near the chicken coop over the past four months and packed it with explosives. During that time, one of its terrorists members pretended to be an informant for Israel. The army frequently relies on Palestinian collaborators to gather intelligence.
Early yesterday, the informant told the army that a wanted fugitive would be in the area. When troops arrived, Hamas terrorists militants detonated the explosives, the group said. Hamas claimed to have recordings of its agent talking to his Israeli handler, but did not release them. The army declined to comment on the claims, but confirmed that a tunnel had been found near the blast site.
During the fighting, Israeli aircraft fired two missiles. Two terrorists fighters were killed and seven other terrorists people, including boys aged 14 and 16, were wounded. A large group of youths had gathered to watch the standoff, occasionally throwing stones at Israeli tanks and bulldozers in the area. |