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Israelis slay Hamas Thugs firing Missiles into Gush Katif Israel
The cleric killings threaten to increase sectarian tensions in Iraq a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari vowed
to crack down on anyone targeting Shiites and Sunnis. His threat came amid a spree of violence that has killed more than 450
people since his government was announced April 28.
 IAF
helicopter gunship fired a missile at a Hamas terror cell believed responsible for firing mortar shells at Gush Katif
settlements from a cemetery in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.
Initial Palestinian reports claim one terrorist was killed and the others were wounded.
Photo credits
Guardian ______________________________________
Mortar barrages continued to fall on Gush Katif Wednesday afternoon, as the third set of salvos damaged a Gush Katif hothouse
and lightly wounded a civilian near a Neve Dekalim synagogue.
The IDF reported that a total of 15 mortars have fallen within the Gush Katif settlements. Additionally, two Kassam rockets
were fired at Gadid, also in Gush Katif.
In response on Wednesday, an IAF helicopter gunship fired a missile at a Hamas terror cell believed responsible for firing
mortar shells at Gush Katif settlements from a cemetery in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.
Initial Palestinian reports claim one terrorist was seriously wounded and the other sustained light wounds.
The aerial raid, the first such attack since the beginning of the year, came in response to the firing of at least four
mortar shells at Gush Katif settlements earlier on Wednesday. Settlers said at least seven mortar shells were fired but the
IDF said it was only able to confirm four landings and was still searching for others.
The mortar barrage was apparently a response to the death of a Islamic Jihad operative overnight near Rafah. The IDF said
that Ahmed Barhoum was apparently killed when a bomb he was carrying exploded prematurely; the army denied claims he had been
killed by IDF gunfire.
According to Southern Command officers, PA security officials informed them that Barhoum's body was full of shrapnel
apparently caused by the bomb he was carrying.
Israel had not responded to an increase in mortar and rocket attacks aimed at the settlements in recent weeks, prompting
strong criticism from the residents, who said the government was leaving them defenseless.
"What do you expect us to do if they are attacking us," Israeli government spokesman Raanan Gissin said, adding that part of
the truce agreement allowed Israel to respond to attacks from Palestinian areas if the Palestinian security forces themselves
are doing nothing to prevent the violence.
Meanwhile, the army said that during the night, two anti-tank rockets and shots were fired a number of times at IDF posts and
patrols near Rafah. IDF soldiers returned fire with light weapons but did not identify hitting anyone.
It was only later that the Palestinians reported that Barhoum had been shot and killed by the IDF, but an initial probe
carried out by the PA revealed that this was false. Southern command officials said they could not rule out the possibility
that Barhoum was planning to detonate a bomb near IDF troops. With AP
Story Credits: Jerusalem Post
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