At least 10 Palestinians and two Israelis were killed in various incidents in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Israel-Egypt border and northern Israel. In the latest incident, an Israeli man was killed and a second person was wounded Sunday evening when two armed Palestinians infiltrated the settlement of Gadish in northern Israel, close to the border with the West Bank.
The Israeli was seriously wounded in the attack, but died shortly after. Israeli security forces carried out extensive searches of the area and killed the two Palestinians. The military wing of the Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for this attack.
At the same time, an Israeli soldier was killed and three armed men were shot dead during an attempt to infiltrate the Israel-Egypt border, Israel Radio reported. The three were killed by Israeli fire.
Earlier, two Palestinian bystanders were killed when an Israeli helicopter gunship fired three rockets toward a car in the Gaza Strip in an attempt to assassinate top Hamas operatives. The car, carrying the two Hamas men, Muhammed Abu Shali and Raed Al-Bashsar, was situated between the towns of Rafah and Khan Yunis.
Sources in the Gaza Strip reported that the bystanders, Muhammed al-Kawara, 14, and Abed A-Najar, 19, were killed in the strike. A third person was wounded in the attack.
However, a senior Israeli security official was quoted by Israel Radio as saying the army succeeded in "hitting three wanted men." A report on Israel's Army Radio, claimed only two men were killed, and that they were members of the military arm of Hamas. Five other bystanders were wounded, the report added.
The report further quoted the statement of the Israeli army as saying the helicopter fired the missiles at the two wanted men while they were riding bicycles between the Gazan towns of Khan Younis and Rafah.
In the early hours of Sunday, additional three Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip and near Hebron.(Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
