GAZA: Israel hits smuggling tunnels, Hamas outpost in southern Gaza

Record ID: 339115

  • Title: GAZA: Israel hits smuggling tunnels, Hamas outpost in southern Gaza
  • Date: 5th February 2009
  • Summary: DAMAGED AREA
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA2JZ857FXBS7W1P567LIM09BB7
  • Story Text: The Israeli army says it hit five smuggling tunnels in Gaza near the border with Egypt as well as a Hamas outpost, in response to rocket and mortar fire on southern Israeli cities.
    The Israeli army said on Wednesday (February 4) it struck five smuggling tunnels in the town of Rafah in southern Gaza, a Hamas outpost and a rocket launching site in response to rocket and mortar fire on Israel in recent days.
    An explosion rocked the town of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, after dark on Tuesday (February 3) and rubble was left in an area where hundreds of smuggling tunnels linking Gaza with Egypt were dug.
    Damaged structures and pits in the ground caused by the Israeli air strike were seen in the area after sunrise.
    In the town of Khan Younis, rubble was left after the Israeli air force hit on Tuesday an area which it says was a Hamas outpost.
    The attack came a day before a meeting of experts in Denmark to discuss ways to prevent smuggling of weapons into Gaza.
    The Israeli army said it bombed targets in southern Gaza in response to a rocket attack which hit the Israeli port city of Ashkelon earlier on Tuesday (February 3), damaging cars.
    No organisation claimed responsibility for the rocket attack on Ashkelon.
    Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has warned Hamas of a harsh response to any further rocket fire from Gaza, although the country's defence minister, Ehud Barak, has said he does not foresee a new all-out offensive.
    Both sides ordered ceasefires on Jan 18 after Israel's devastating 22-day blitz on Hamas-run Gaza, in which 1,300 Palestinians were killed including over 700 civilians.
    jrs/jrc
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