Israeli occupation forces shot dead two Palestinian fighters in a gun battle in the West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday during which a soldier was also killed, sources said.
In a separate incident in the city, witnesses and medics reported an Israeli helicopter gunship hit a home with a missile, killing a Palestinian academic and his 16-year-old son.
The Israeli army said it lost an officer during an exchange of fire with Palestinian fighters in Nablus' al Ein refugee camp.
According to Palestinian security sources, the Israelis had targeted two wanted activists from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who were both killed.
Palestinians identified the two fighters killed as the commander of the military wing of the PFLP and his assistant - Yamen Ali Tayeb Faraj and Amjad Arar (Abu Watan). The two civilians were identified as an academic from An Najah University, Dr. Khaled Musa Salah - who had American citizenship, and his son Mohammed.
Three soldiers were wounded, one seriously, in the exchange for fire, the Israeli army said.
Following these incidents, Israeli troops blew up a building in the city, witnesses said. They told WAFA that Israeli troops dynamited "Jabir building" in al-Sikka street, pointing out that several neighbouring houses were damaged because of the huge explosion in the area.
Later Tuesday, two Palestinian fighters were killed in the Gaza Strip after they opened fire on an Israeli position and threw fragmentation grenades. Two Israeli soldiers were reported wounded.
Also in the Strip, occupation troops shot dead a 14-year-old Palestinian boy late Monday, shortly after an Israeli man was wounded by mortar fire at the nearby settlement of Neveh Dekalim, Palestinian officials and medics said.
Palestinian security officials said the teenager, Ala al-Shaer, was shot dead as he stood in a street in the Khan Yunis refugee camp.
Occupation troops backed by tanks and helicopters launched a raid in south Gaza early Tuesday, seeking tunnels used by Palestinian fighters to move weapons from Egypt, witnesses and a military source said.
According to witnesses, 12 tanks penetrated about 150 meters into the Rafah refugee camp. (albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
