MIDDLE EAST: Israeli war planes wound two Palestinian militants in a missile strike in the northern Gaza Strip

Record ID: 339531

  • Title: MIDDLE EAST: Israeli war planes wound two Palestinian militants in a missile strike in the northern Gaza Strip
  • Date: 5th March 2009
  • Summary: MORE OF PEOPLE GATHERING IN STREET
  • Embargoed: 20th March 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA67JMKQCNFM2UK7RLKQGZAZXHE
  • Story Text: Israeli war planes wounded two Palestinian militants in a missile strike in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday (March 4), their faction and medical officials said, revising an earlier report of a fatality in the attack.
    Islamic Jihad identified the two casualties as its members. At least one was in critical condition, doctors said after the men were admitted to a hospital.
    Gaza residents gathered in the street after the Israeli air strike, and watched the damage which had been caused by it. Some of them were looking at a hole in the ground while others held a bloodied discarded jacked in front of Reuters camera.
    The Israeli military confirmed the strike, saying it had targeted an Islamic Jihad commander involved in recent rocket attacks from Gaza.
    The two militants hit by the strike were evacuated to a local hospital, where other people who were injured were also treated.
    Islamic Jihad official Khaled Al-Batch told Reuters that his faction will continue its struggle against Israel.

    "Islamic Jihad movement said all the time that if the Israeli occupation forces respect the truce, Islamic Jihad from their side will respect the truce. But if the Israeli continue their violations, continue their aggression against our people, Islamic Jihad movement cannot raise their hand, cannot raise the white flag. We are completely have the rights to continue our struggle against the occupation forces. If the occupation should continue, I think that there is no choice (but) to continue our struggle against the occupation forces in the West Bank and Gaza and everywhere in Palestine," Al-Batch said.
    Israel and Palestinian militants have traded sporadic fire across Gaza's border, challenging Egyptian efforts to consolidate a January 18 truce in the Hamas-ruled territory.
    Israel invaded Gaza in January and has generally responded to Palestinian rocket attacks since then with air strikes on suspected smuggling tunnels on the Gaza-Egypt frontier.
    Wednesday's air strike could signal a resumption of targeted strikes by Israel against militant leaders.
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