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| Middle East |
| IDF thumps Gaza... |
| 2002-09-24 |
| Israeli tanks backed by helicopters stormed into Gaza City early Tuesday and battled Palestinian gunmen in clashes that left nine Palestinians dead and 24 injured, hospital officials said. The tanks penetrated a half mile into Gaza City. The soldiers also blew up a metals factory. The army confirmed that a military operation was under way in Gaza and said no soldiers had been injured, but declined to comment further. Wonder if this is the start of a drawn-out operation or just a baring of the fangs? One of the nine men killed was Mohammed Kishkho, 45, a local leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. Kishkho died of shrapnel wounds suffered from tank shell explosion, said Dr. Moawia Hassanein at Gaza City's Shifa Hospital. Alas, poor Mohammed... Guess his Mom will miss him... The incursion into the eastern Shejia neighborhood of the city was an apparent effort to enter the homes of several Palestinian militants killed by Israeli troops earlier this year, witnesses said. Israeli forces demolished the home of Mohammed Farhat, a member of Hamas No doubt he had good reason, and it was all their fault anyway. It's the oppression, y'know... Palestinians hit at least one of the 20 tanks used in the operation with explosives, and army bulldozers were attempting to push the tank out of the area, said witness Salim Abu Amr, a schoolteacher. Other witnesses saw Israeli ambulances in the area. Two helicopters and several bulldozers also took part in the operation, and the troops began carrying out house-to-house searches. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #2 At this moment, Gaza is more important than Yasser. It's a lot more of a threat. We'll see if this is the main thrust if they go after the Hamas poliburo... |
| Posted by: Fred 2002-09-24 09:40:38 |
| #1 Ummm - wonder if this is a distraction to keep the media focus off the Ramallah ops or vice versa... I think one or the other was the original goal, and the second operation was diversionary... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2002-09-24 09:01:58 |