Four Palestinians, including two Hamas activists, were killed in an Israeli missile strike on a car in Gaza City on Sunday night, according to Palestinian sources. Eight other people were injured in the strike, among them four, including a child, in moderate to serious condition.
The sources said that two helicopter gunships fired at least three missiles at a Palestinian vehicle. Israeli sources said that the targets of the missile strike were members of the Hamas military wing. One of the dead was identified as a senior member of Hamas' military wing - Ahmed Aishtawi.
Aishtawi, 24, was on top of the Israel's most wanted list, and is credited with transferring funds to Hamas cells in the West Bank, and planning many attacks against Israeli citizens, Israeli sources said.
A Hamas spokesperson said Aishtawi was the head of a cell that fired home-made missiles, and specialized in attacks on Israeli tanks. The other fighters were identified as Wahid Hums, Ahmad Abu Hilal and Mohammed Abu Lubda.
Hamas remained defiant after Sunday's assassination. "If the Israelis thought assassinations would destroy our determination to continue in our resistance, to continue defending ourselves, they are mistaken," Hamas spokesman Ismail Haniya said. "We will move ahead whatever the sacrifice."
It should be noted that earlier Sunday, Israel's Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon told Channel One TV that responsibility for the dead in the latest "terror attack" in Jerusalem lies with the Hamas leadership, and the organization's leaders will not go unpunished. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
