Three Palestinians were killed Saturday and nine others wounded near the Erez crossing in the north of Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said. Two were identified as Hussam Aliwa, 28, and Bashir Abu Al Amrin, 28.
For its part, the Israeli army said a Palestinian suicide bomber and another armed activist attacked the crossing point.
One of the assailants entered the Israeli side of the crossing terminal in a jeep altered to look like an Israeli military vehicle, an army spokeswoman said, according to The AP. The man fired on soldiers who returned fire and killed him.
The second attacker blew himself up inside a vehicle on the Palestinian side of the crossing point. At least three Palestinians were killed.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as Fatah claimed responsibility for the attack, calling it a joint "self-sacrifice operation" in a message posted on the Hamas Web site.
Elsewhere, an 19-year-old Palestinian policeman was killed by Israeli troops Saturday morning in a West Bank refugee camp.
Palestinian witnesses said he was killed during a clash between soldiers and dozens of stone throwers, including many children on their way to school.
The incident took place in the Tulkarem refugee camp during a routine military patrol, the Israeli army said.
The dead man was identified as Taher Abu Sariyeh, a member of the Palestinian security forces. Abu Sariyeh was in uniform at the time of his death and carried a weapon, hospital officials said.
Elsewhere, occupation troops arrested two Tanzim members late Friday night in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Army Radio reported.
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
