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IAF strike in Gaza (Archive photo)
Photo: Reuters

3 deaths from Gaza air strike

Israeli aircraft fires missiles at car traveling in northern Gaza City, killing 2 and injuring 7 others, eyewitnesses say; 1 casualty dies of wounds

An Israeli air strike targeted a car traveling in northern Gaza City on Friday, killing two members of Hamas and injuring seven others, Palestinian security officials said.  One of the injured died of his wounds Saturday night, sources said.

 

Hours later, an air strike targeted an empty Hamas school in northeast Gaza City, injuring one person, Palestinian paramedics said.

 

In addition, the air force attacked two buildings owned by Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip early Saturday morning. Both sites were suspected of being used for weapon manufacture.

 

Israel vowed Friday to step up air strikes against members of the Islamic group in retaliation for daily rocket attacks at Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip.

 

Palestinian officials identified one of the victims as Raed Habib, a senior member of Hamas' military wing. The identity of the second victim remains unknown.

 

Separately, Israeli tanks fired five shells near a housing project in the northern Gaza town of Jebaliya, security officials said.

 

It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured. Ambulances were on their way to the site.

 

The army confirmed it had carried out an air strike against a car in Gaza City but gave no further information. A military spokesperson also said the firing of tank shells at Jebaliya was aimed at preventing gunmen from using an empty structure in the area to fire rockets at Israel.

 

Hours after the first strike, Palestinian officials reported that Hamas gunmen kidnapped a journalist associated with Fatah strongman Mouhammad Dahlan.

 

Sources said Abed Abou Askar was a personal friend of Dahlan who serves as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's national security advisor.

 

Over 50 Palestinians were killed over six days of clashes between Hamas and Fatah gunmen, raising fears that the Gaza Strip was sliding into civil war.

 

Earlier Friday, an Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at a Hamas compound in the central Gaza Strip, leveling the structure. No injuries were reported.

 

The attack came hours after an air strike against a Hamas cell in Gaza killed four of its members.

 

Ali Waked and AP contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.18.07, 19:00
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