MIDDLE EAST: Palestinians bury man killed by Israeli airforce, Haniyeh expresses hope for the release of BBC correspondent held in Gaza

Record ID: 340203

  • Title: MIDDLE EAST: Palestinians bury man killed by Israeli airforce, Haniyeh expresses hope for the release of BBC correspondent held in Gaza
  • Date: 7th April 2007
  • Summary: (W3) GAZA CITY, GAZA (APRIL 7, 2007) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PALESTINIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS BUILDING VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER ISMAIL HANIYEH ARRIVING AT CABINET MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER ISMAIL HANIYEH, SAYING: "(Q: what is your comment regarding President Abbas saying the release of Gilad Shalit and Alan Johnston would be soon?)
  • Embargoed: 22nd April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA6U9B3TS04K92L1BWZGFT7DUF
  • Story Text: Palestinian mourners buried on Saturday (April 7) a militant who was killed by an Israeli overnight air raid, shortly before Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said he hopes for the coming release of a BBC correspondent held in Gaza.
    Israeli helicopters fired into the Gaza Strip early on Saturday, killing one Palestinian militant, in what local residents said was the fiercest exchange between Israeli forces and militants since a November truce.
    A Palestinian medical team arrived after dawn to an empty field near the fence on the border with Israel to pick up the deceased and transferred his body to a local morgue.
    Residents said the helicopters fired at least two missiles at militants near the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza at night, local time.
    Militants fired rifles into the air during the funeral for the man, while marching in a crowd of hundreds in the funeral procession.
    Islamic Jihad said its militants and members of another group had been mounting an operation near the fence when the exchange of fire occurred.
    A member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine was killed in the exchange, Islamic Jihad said.
    An Israeli army spokesman said the helicopters fired at "suspicious movements" that were identified several times near the border fence where militants have been operating and trying to plant explosive devices.
    On Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz authorised the army to carry out limited operations just inside Gaza against militants, despite a ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and the Palestinians in November.
    Some militant groups have carried on firing rockets into Israel from Gaza despite the truce, and Peretz said the Jewish state would "not allow the continued strengthening and arming" of militants in the coastal strip.
    Later on Saturday, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said he is hopeful the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier and BBC correspondent is near.
    Asked for his reaction to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' optimism regarding the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit and journalist Alan Johnston, Haniyeh said: "we hope so."
    Haniyeh's comment after Abbas had told France 24 in a televised interview aired on Friday (April 6) that he was optimistic the Israeli soldier, whom Palestinian militants seized last June in a cross-border raid from Gaza, would be released soon.
    "We are undertaking efforts to free Shalit and these efforts will soon come to fruition," Abbas said. "We are optimistic. He will be freed soon."
    Abbas also said efforts were underway to improve the security situation and free a BBC journalist abducted in Gaza on March 12.
    Haniyeh arrived at a special cabinet session he convened in Gaza on Saturday to discuss a new security plan aimed at stemming factional fighting and growing lawlessness within 100 days.
    Haniyeh had offered no details about the plan, drawn up by Interior Minister Hani al-Qawasmi.
    Meanwhile in Gaza City scores of protesters marched in a street demonstration calling for the release of Johnston. The crowd of protesters held banners and pictures of Johnston, and chanted 'Protection for Journalists'.
    Residents of Gaza had attended protests throughout the week in an increased effort to pressure Palestinian authorities to bring about the release of Johnston.
    Gaza journalists declared a three-days strike earlier in the week and called on governmental and security authorities to exert maximum efforts to secure the release of Johnston and the safety of journalists in the impoverished strip.
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