At least one Palestinian and an Israeli soldier were killed early Friday during a clash in the West Bank city of Nablus. According to Palestinian sources, Israeli troops set off blasts that tore into a building in the city.
Eyewitnesses said Israeli troops were ambushed during an arrest raid, with Palestinians opening fire and throwing hand grenades. In addition to the dead soldier, at least two other Israeli troops were wounded.
Witnesses said amid the shooting they heard four large blasts that tore into the five-story building.
People in the area said soldiers removed the body of one man from the building. Four residents took the man's body and laid him nearby, a witnesses told the AP. According to some reports, the killed Palestinian was identified as Muhammad Yusuf ak Hanbaly, a top Hamas military operative in Nablus.
The blasts came amid a gunbattle that lasted more than two hours between troops and at least one Palestinian holed up in the building. Soldiers ordered all residents out of the
building during the siege, and some left.
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
