1 killed in IAF attack in Gaza
In first aerial attack since Hamas overran Gaza Strip earlier this month, aircraft targets car carrying Islamic Jihad members said to be involved in Qassam attacks on Israel. Hospital officials say one killed, two wounded in strike
Israeli aircraft targeted a car in Gaza City, the military said, killing an Islamic Jihad gunman and wounding two people, the first such attack since the Islamic Hamas overran Gaza earlier this month.
The attack took place in the eastern part of Gaza City, a known stronghold of Islamic militants. Islamic Jihad said the vehicle was carrying its members on a "holy mission," code for an attack on Israel.
Hamas TV footage showed the burned car with at least one rocket inside.
The Israeli military confirmed that its air force carried out an attack on a vehicle carrying men involved in firing Qassam rockets into Israel.
The attacked vehicle (photo: AFP)
Palstinian sources reported that the man killed was Husam Harb, an al-Quds Brigades official.
The Islamic Jihad told Ynet that Harb was responsible for the Qassam rocket which was fired at Sderot Sunday morning, and injured three Israelis.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, blamed Israel. "Israeli attacks are continuing on Gaza, and there are responses from the resistance to these attacks," he said.
Israel has frequently targeted Gaza militants in airstrikes, saying the goal is to prevent daily rocket barrages from Gaza at Israeli border towns.
However, Israel had stayed on the sidelines during this month's lightning Hamas sweep through Gaza, when the Islamist forces overran headquarters of security forces linked to the rival Fatah of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The airstrike came a day before a summit meeting in Egypt with Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Jordan's King Abdullah II, aimed at boosting Abbas in his conflict with Hamas.
Ali Waked and Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report
